Get Out of Your Own Way: Find Happiness in Golf and Life | Nielsen

Find happiness on the course and beyond

Get Out of Your Own Way invites you to look beyond quick fixes and symptoms. The book asks you to inquire into the underlying relationship you have with golf and life. It explains why the challenge feels addictive and why, as skill grows, some players lose their sense of joy. The aim is not a guarantee of performance, but a path to a more enjoyable, intentional relationship with golf and with everyday life.

Author Sam Jarman—a PGA professional with more than 15 years of elite play and 15 years coaching golfers, coaches, and athletes—grounds ideas in real-world practice. Building on the ideas behind his earlier titles Three Principles of Outstanding Golf and Take Relief, this book digs straight to the heart of why we show up to the game and how the experience can shift when you pause, observe, and inquire.

On the page, you’ll sense the cadence of the golf swing and the quiet that follows a mis-hit—sensory details that anchor the discussion in everyday experience. The approach encourages curiosity about what appears to get in the way, rather than blaming technique or motivation alone.

What this approach offers

• A new lens on nervousness and performance, grounded in present-moment awareness
• A path to reconnect with enjoyment, even as skills improve
• A practical language for discussing performance with coaches, teammates, and friends
• A mindset that invites exploration over self-criticism, reducing pressure in practice and rounds

Who is this for

• Golfers at any level seeking a deeper understanding of their reactions under pressure
• Players aiming to maintain joy while pursuing higher performance
• Coaches and athletes curious about fresh ideas for mindset and life beyond golf

Whether you read during a commute, on the practice range, or between rounds, Get Out of Your Own Way offers a thoughtful invitation to rethink the game and your experience of it. The possibilities are about shift, not guaranteed results, and they begin with a single moment of curiosity.