Zen Flow Golf Dr John Pates

Unleash the Champion Within – The ZenFlow Golf Mastery Experience

Unlock Your Mind. Master Your Game. Elevate Your Life.

Step into the world of elite performance with ZenFlow Golf Mastery – a transformational retreat designed to awaken your inner greatness and teach you how to harness Zen and Flow states to dominate the golf course and your life.

Hosted at the legendary Belfry Golf Club, this powerful experience brings you face-to-face with two of the most respected minds in performance psychology and golf coaching: Dr. John Pates, renowned DP World and PGA Tour Psychologist, and Gavin Long, elite PGA professional.

24th-26th October 2025 | £1485 per person

Why ZenFlow Golf?

Zen and Flow aren’t just mystical concepts – they are the performance-enhancing secrets behind the world’s greatest players. Icons like Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy have mastered the ability to enter flow states at will, allowing instinct to take over and freeing them from self doubt, pressure, and distraction. This is how champions think. This is how champions win.

Now, it’s your turn.

Whether you’re a seasoned player or a driven amateur, this immersive retreat will equip you with:

Mental strategies used by top tour professionals
Daily Zen rituals to sharpen focus and calm your mind
Flow training to enter the ‘zone’ when it matters most
One-on-one coaching with elite trainers
A complete transformation of your game, mindset, and performance

This isn’t just a golf retreat – it’s a breakthrough experience for your body, mind, and soul. Join us at ZenFlow Golf Mastery and unleash the version of you that’s been waiting to come alive. Limited places available.

This Retreat is Taking Place at the world-famous Belfry Hotel and Resort” The Belfry is the home of the PGA and Ryder Cup

Dr. John Pates’ Mental Performance Program for Golfers

As a performance psychologist, Dr. John Pates works with elite golfers to develop a champion’s mindset by strengthening their mental, emotional, and psychological skills. Below is a structured list of key areas that are essential for building a golfer’s mental game.

1. Pre-Shot and Post-Shot Routines (Consistency and Focus)

Pre-Shot Routine Development – Creating a mental and physical process to build confidence before every shot.
Visualization & Mental Rehearsal – Mentally seeing the perfect shot before execution.
Breathing Techniques – Using controlled breathing to manage nerves and enhance focus.
Anchor Triggers for Confidence – Developing a specific cue (e.g., deep breath, practice swing) to reinforce trust in the shot.
Post-Shot Routine – Managing reactions to both good and bad shots to maintain emotional stability.

2. Emotional Regulation and Resilience (Handling Pressure and Adversity)

Stress and Anxiety Management – Techniques to stay calm under pressure (e.g., mindfulness, progressive relaxation).
Reframing Negative Thoughts – Shifting focus from mistakes to learning opportunities.
Confidence Building – Strengthening self-belief through positive self-talk and success journaling.
Emotional Recovery Strategies – Quickly resetting after bad holes or rounds.

3. Focus, Attention, and Flow State Training (Maximizing Mental Sharpness)

Present-Moment Focus – Training golfers to stay in the “now” rather than dwelling on past mistakes or future outcomes.
Selective Attention Control – Learning to block out distractions (crowds, opponents, weather conditions).
Accessing Flow State – Using rhythmic breathing, visualization, and triggers to enter a peak performance state.
Cognitive Load Management – Simplifying thoughts to avoid overthinking.

4. Confidence and Self-Belief Development (Building a Winning Mindset)

Success Journals – Tracking progress, achievements, and reinforcing positive experiences.
Powerful Self-Talk & Affirmations – Using uplifting and empowering language to strengthen confidence.
Handling Expectations & Pressure – Strategies to manage external pressures (media, sponsors, personal expectations).
Body Language Training – Using posture and gestures to project and reinforce confidence.

5. Mental Preparation for Competition (Tournament Readiness)

Personalized Pre-Tournament Routines – Developing strategies to optimize mental readiness before events.
Course Strategy & Visualization – Mentally mapping out the course and planning strategic approaches.
Dealing with Uncertainty – Training for unpredictable scenarios like bad weather, tough pin placements, and slow play.
Resilience in Adverse Conditions – Mental tools to maintain composure in difficult situations.

6. Pressure Performance and Clutch Mentality (Performing Under High-Stakes Situations)

Handling Final Round Pressure – Training to stay composed in contention.
Executing Under Pressure – Developing pre-shot techniques to stay centered when stakes are high.
Building a “One Shot at a Time” Mentality – Keeping focus on the present rather than leaderboard positions.
Managing Fear of Failure – Developing a fearless mindset through exposure training and resilience-building exercises.

7. Recovery, Reflection, and Post-Round Analysis (Continuous Improvement Mindset)

Post-Round Reflection Journals – Analyzing what went well and what can be improved.
Emotional Reset After a Bad Round – Techniques to move forward without dwelling on mistakes.
Reinforcing Success and Learning from Mistakes – Constructive self-review without self-criticism.
Mental Recovery Techniques – Meditation, relaxation, and cognitive distancing strategies for mental reset

8. Long-Term Mental Training for Golf Mastery (Sustaining a Champion’s Mindset)

Building a Mental Toughness Routine – Consistent psychological training integrated into practice.
Resilience Against Slumps – Strategies for overcoming losing streaks and confidence dips.
Mental Conditioning Through Habit Formation – Embedding success habits into daily life.
Mindset Coaching for Career Longevity – Developing perspective, adaptability, and passion to sustain high performance over time.

Unlock your game by mastering your mind with the world’s best mind coaches

Gavin Long

A PGA professional, coach and full British PGA member for the past 35 years.
Originally from Hampshire England, where he qualified at the PGA national training academy, Gavin spent his initial years as first assistant at Killarney Golf & Fishing Club in Ireland, before moving on to Head Professional, course management, various teaching and coaching roles in Southern Germany, Switzerland, Poland, Thailand, Berlin and Austria.
He has played EPD Alps tour events and spent eight years as a Tutor for the PGA of Poland with the PGA’s of Europe. He has worked considerably with national team coaches including with the Polish national team and elite national team players from Switzerland, Thailand and Egypt.
A keen traveller and long time student of Zen Buddhism, led him to meeting and working with renowned mental game & PGA Tour coach Dr Joseph Parent in California, author of Zen Golf and Zen Putting.
A back injury in his mid-thirties persuaded him to adopt yoga and meditation into his everyday life, becoming a Yoga for Golf instructor and certified Zen Golf mental game practitioner in 2014.
‘My aim is to inspire and help golfers of all levels, to better align the mental with the physical, the emotional with the social and technical to enhance greater overall health, well-being and enjoyment’.

Dr John Pates

Dr John Pates is a pioneer in performance psychology and a leading authority on f low states in golf, with numerous peer-reviewed publications and books exploring how golfers can access peak performance through the mind. With over 30 years of experience working with the world’s best players—including five Major champions and more than 30 Tour winners—he has transformed how elite golfers train mentally. As the psychologist for the 2014 Ryder Cup team and long-time consultant on the PGA Tour, Dr Pates has worked with legends such as Darren Clarke, Thomas Bjorn, Graeme McDowell, Matt Fitzpatrick, Ian Woosnam, Stephen Gallacher and Paul Broadhurst. Now, Dr Pates is bringing this cutting-edge expertise to Zen Flow Golf—a transformational training programme designed to help golfers of all levels harness the power of the mind to unlock flow.