Mind
Why is Mental Performance Training Important?
In golf, mental strength is as crucial as physical skill. At The Golf Practice, we emphasize golf psychology and mental performance training to elevate your game. Our golf mental coaching helps you develop resilience, focus, and emotional control on the course. The importance of mental performance in golf cannot be overstated. The game presents constant challenges, from recovering after a poor shot to maintaining concentration under pressure. Our golf mental training techniques equip you to handle these situations effectively. By mastering your mind, you’ll not only improve your golf performance but also enhance your approach to life’s challenges off the course.
How Does Mental Training Help a Golf Student?
At The Golf Practice, our golf mental coaching program equips you with vital skills such as visualization, goal-setting, and stress management techniques specifically tailored for golfers. Through our golf psychology training, you’ll develop positive self-talk and foster a growth mindset to overcome limiting beliefs. This comprehensive mental game training enhances your performance in high-pressure situations on the course, sharpens your decision-making, and promotes greater focus during play. By embracing these mental skills for golf, you can expect significant improvements in your game, learning to navigate challenges with ease and achieve more consistent, high-level performance.
What Type of Student Would Benefit from Mental Performance Training?
Mental performance training benefits golfers of all levels. Our golf psychology coaching provides valuable tools that enhance both your golf game and daily life. Whether you’re a beginner seeking to build confidence on the course, an intermediate player aiming to break through performance plateaus, or an advanced golfer looking to excel under pressure, our mental game training offers strategies for improvement. This golf mindset coaching is an investment in personal growth, supporting your athletic achievements on the green and your success in everyday challenges. By mastering mental skills for golf, you’ll gain a competitive edge and life-long tools for managing stress, setting goals, and maintaining focus in any situation.
What Does The Golf Practice Offer?
The Golf Practice offers diverse mental performance training options to enhance your golf game. Our golf psychology programs include collaborative group sessions where you can build mental skills alongside peers. For targeted improvement, we provide focused golf mental game workshops addressing specific performance aspects. Personalized 1-on-1 golf mindset coaching sessions are available, tailored to your unique goals and challenges on the course. To support continuous improvement, we offer post-round mental performance debriefs, allowing you to analyze your game and receive expert feedback from our golf psychology coaches.
Our Coaches
Schedule your Evaluation today!
Chris Oehlerking
OWNER | DIRECTOR OF INSTRUCTION
A teaching career that spans nearly 20 years, Chris is our Academy’s Director of Instruction. He’s been selected by Golf Magazine to there “Teachers to Watch” list 2024-2025. In addition he’s been recognized by the Illinois PGA and U.S. Kids Golf as a leader in instruction.
Chris, whose teaching philosophy was molded from the tutelage of Hank Haney and Stan Utley, has worked with players of all abilities — from the professional and college ranks to competitive youth golfers, elite amateurs and recreational players. One of his strengths is being able to develop personalized training plans that facilitate deeper learning and retention for students.
A proud native of Canada, Chris became a PGA Professional in 2005 after a successful Division I golf career. Chris, whose work has been featured on several media platforms, serves on the Illinois PGA Foundation’s Board of Directors and The First Tee of Greater Chicago’s Young Ambassadors Council.
Jantzen Miserak
SENIOR COACH | FITNESS EXPERT
Born and raised in Dallas, Jantzen attended Sam Houston State University and completed its PGA Golf Management Program, which led to an opportunity with The Golf Practice.
Jantzen specializes in physical training and helps players understand the fundamentals of human movement specific to them that lead to consistent performance. Jantzen believes that when the body is working more efficiently that players golf swings will work more efficiently.
I believe that the more we move in the gym, in our practice and on the course the more we learn about ourselves and what we are capable of. It’s my passion to help students unlock golf that they never knew was possible!
Andy Hayes
SENIOR COACH | PODCAST HOST
The best way learning occurs is through self-discovery and experience rather than through processing information. There is plenty of information out there, but it isn’t helpful if you can’t put it into play in your unique swing. The brain works best in big ideas and concepts, and people’s tendency to grasp onto the smallest details often hurts their swing more than it helps.
In his coaching Andy helps the student become more aware of the parts of the swing that are causing them the most problems. He then helps them feel and experience a better, more reliable move, and works to bridge the gap between the two. Andy seeks to empower his students so that over time they can grow in the mastery of their swing, and can learn how to self-coach.
Andy’s hope for his students is that in addition to becoming better golfers, they will become better problem solvers, more resilient, learn to trust themselves, and develop a deep appreciation for golf that goes beyond what score they shoot. Andy’s main golf influences are Tim Gallwey, George Gankas, and Michael Murphy.
Steve Schreck
LEAD COACH
Steve grew up in Winnetka and played golf at New Trier High School. A Purdue University graduate, Steve has been a part of TGP’s junior programs since he joined the academy in 2019.
His main coaching influences are George Gankas and Adam Young. The two differ in their approach to the swing, but Steve believes a blend of both styles—internal vs. external mindset, for one—proves to be most successful for his junior and adult students.
Like our entire staff, the impact golf has had on Steve is immeasurable, from the hours spent outside bonding with friends and family to the experiences and characteristics he’s gained and uses in his everyday life.
Peter Leinenweber
LEAD COACH
Peter grew up in Evanston and played most of his golf at Canal Shores Golf Course. He was on the Loyola Academy squad all four years and continued his career at Loras College in Iowa, where he was a team captain as an upperclassmen.
He served as the program’s assistant coach and head of player development for a year after graduation and now holds a leading role in all of TGP’s junior programs. The impact golf has had on Peter’s life is immeasurable, from the lessons he’s learned to the relationships he’s formed. He hopes to pass down some of those experiences to the next generation and help create a similar impact on his students.
Rob Anderson
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS | LEAD COACH
Rob joined The Golf Practice in the summer of 2021 after coaching the North Park University men’s team for five seasons. Under his leadership at North Park, the team’s national ranking improved by more than 125 spots, and their scoring average improved by more than 37 strokes per round.
Rob brings a coaching and caddying mentality to his lessons. He loves finding the balance between technical and strategic changes and helping his students know the difference between physical and mental errors. Rob believes in playing free and hitting the easiest shot possible!
Rob loves being outside and believes there is never bad weather but only bad clothing and tries to extend the Chicago golf season as long as possible. He’s very excited to pass along his love for the game to his two young boys. When he’s not playing with his boys, you’ll find him playing with his great friend and former collegiate teammate, Andy Hayes.
Danny Barragan
CERTIFIED COACH
Danny grew up in Highland Park, Illinois, where he spent his childhood playing soccer and basketball. It wasn’t until later in life that Danny discovered his passion for golf, which quickly became a central focus. His journey with the sport led him to play at College of Lake County, where he developed his skills further and grew to cherish the game deeply.
Danny views golf as more than just a sport; it’s a lifelong journey filled with memories, connections, and friendships made on the course. He treasures the lessons and enduring bonds formed both on and off the course, seeing the game as a source of personal growth and camaraderie.
Danny is dedicated to sharing his enthusiasm and knowledge with others, whether through individual coaching sessions or group settings. He aims to inspire his students to discover their own passion for golf while cultivating their skills and appreciation for the game.
Caleb Nilsen
CERTIFIED COACH
Caleb grew up in Palatine, IL and played Varsity Golf at Palatine High School. After High School, Caleb continued his golfing career at North Park University, where he was voted captain by his teammates as an upperclassman. His experiences in competitive golf fueled his passion for coaching golf.
Caleb has a love for people, golf, and learning. He believes that golf is a great metaphor for life, and appreciates how learning more about the game can translate into learning more about yourself. Caleb hopes to pass down his knowledge and love of golf to his students. Whether it is in a private lesson or group class, he’s passionate about making connections, and helping the student grow their skill and enjoyment in the game of golf.
Dasa Urbankova
CERTIFIED COACH
Location: Highland Park
Originally from the Czech Republic, Dasa was introduced to golf by her dad at the age of 9. Her golf journey began at Menlo College in California and continued at the University of Illinois at Chicago, where she competed as a Division 1 athlete on the women’s golf team.
Dasa brings over seven years of competitive experience, participating in prestigious amateur tournaments and playing on the professional European tour (LET). Alongside her athletic pursuits, she earned a master’s degree in Sport Psychology, which enriches her coaching approach with a profound understanding of mental performance.
As a coach, Dasa embodies a philosophy that harmonizes the mind and body in golf. She emphasizes the cultivation of self-awareness in swing mechanics and mental fortitude, empowering her students to achieve peak performance on the course.
Josh Zoldan
MENTAL PERFORMANCE COACH
Location: Highland Park
As a mental performance consultant, Josh aims to facilitate the process of improving each golfer’s mindset and overall wellbeing. Among many mental skills, Josh helps golfers build confidence, increase motivation, form resilience, and enhance focus. Important to note: Josh works with all ages, regardless of skill level.
Josh utilizes a very personalized approach in his work with golfers. Included in all of his offerings, Josh identifies each golfer’s mental strengths and potential areas for growth. He then introduces, educates, and provides tools to help each golfer train their necessary mental skills.
In addition, Josh approaches his work in a therapeutic and supportive way. Along with providing mental skills training, Josh aims to create a comfortable space for each golfer to debrief what may be going on in their day-to-day lives in addition to golf. Josh has found success in working with collegiate D1 golf programs and individual golfers at the high school and collegiate levels.