Golfing News & Blog Articles

Looking for a gift for the golfer who seemingly already has everything? Check out our roundup of 18 high-end ideas.

The post Best golf gifts 2024: 18 high-end gifts for the golfer who has everything appeared first on Golf.

The train of negative thoughts and unwanted emotions can arrive into the station of our mind and body at any time, but we don’t need to climb aboard. If you don’t master your emotions for golf, there’ll be an interplay of these thoughts and emotions making them bigger, leading to an inability to think clearly and create tension in your body. This can then mean that you fail to reproduce the great shots you saw just hours or days earlier. In other words, you will be prevented from being your best performing self.

Over the past 15 years, I’ve studied mental and emotional management and its effect on an athlete’s performance. What I’ve concluded is that everyone is different in what can help adjust their inner state – it’s a matter of self exploration and experimentation to see what works best. To help you with this, here are my top 5 ways to conquer negative thinking and unwanted emotions.

Self Talk and Affirmations to Master your emotions for golf

The mind can tell us things that aren’t true or it can focus on what we don’t want to happen i.e., the things we fear or the doubts we have about our ability. To counter this, we can use our inner voice – which can serve as a positive distraction from these thoughts and a powerful emotional regulator. There are countless studies in Sports Psychology journals which show that Self Talk for golf (which can be “Motivational” and “Instructional”) improves performance. But it’s not that simple. An athlete or golfer needs to carefully curate and test their own self talk scripts and affirmations.

You can displace negative thoughts and master your emotions for golf by repeating “Affirmations” in your head, or out loud. Affirmations are carefully chosen “trigger” words – words that you have an emotional connection with i.e. hearing them makes you feel something. Saying these words can help you move away from what’s negative in your mind and instead, focus on words that make you feel “Strong”, “Powerful”, “Grateful”, “Composed”, “Dominant”, etc, or whatever you would like to be feeling in those moments.

Acceptance and “Non-Attachment” to Master Your Emotions for Golf

Developing the skill of Acceptance is a key part of high performance golf but many players struggle with it. To begin with, let’s clarify a common misconception – that acceptance is the same as approval or complacency. Because you accept something, it doesn’t mean that you don’t care or that you approve of what just happened. Simply put, it’s the best thing to do to be able to move on from setbacks in a round and improve your position.

The short-sided bunker shot off a downhill lie is one of golf's most treacherous shots. A former Tour winner explains how to execute it.

The post It might be the scariest shot in golf. Here’s how to pull it off appeared first on Golf.

Rory McIlroy said the match with Scottie Scheffler vs. LIV Golf's Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka is about the effort "to bring the best together more often."

A year-end review of rules incidents in USGA championships offers a data-driven look at how mid-round rulings affect pace of play.

The post How do mid-round rulings affect pace of play? New data reveals insights appeared first on Golf.

Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau went from enemies to allies to teammates in just a few years. Now, Brooks is taking accountability.

The post ‘Bryson’s a good dude’: Brooks Koepka expresses remorse for DeChambeau beef appeared first on Golf.

Scottie Scheffler, whose seven victories on tour this past season were the most since Tiger Woods in 2007, won the Jack Nicklaus Award as the PGA Tour's top player in 2024, the third straight year he has won the honor.

Brooks Koepka feels like he could be stepping into another Ryder Cup environment when he and LIV member Bryson DeChambeau take on Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy of the PGA Tour at "The Crypto.com Showdown" later this month.

Tiger Woods, along with his 15-year-old son Charlie, is returning to the PNC Championship, his first competition since the British Open and after having a sixth back surgery.

Maximizing your strengths on the course is one of the best ways to lower your scores and enjoy the game. By identifying and focusing on the aspects of your game that you excel at, you can build confidence and make smarter decisions. Here's how to play to your strengths effectively:

1. Know Your Best Shots

• Evaluate Your Skills: Determine the clubs and shot types you're most consistent with.
• Example: If you excel at mid-iron shots, aim to position yourself for those instead of relying on long drives or tricky short-game shots.

2. Develop a Go-To Shot

• Why It Helps: A reliable shot you can execute under pressure boosts confidence.
• Practice Tips:
  • Work on a dependable fade, draw, or straight shot.
  • Ensure your go-to shot minimizes risk and keeps the ball in play.

3. Course Management

• Adjust Your Strategy: Play the course in a way that aligns with your strengths.
  • If accuracy is your forte, focus on fairway placement over distance.
  • Avoid high-risk shots that fall outside your comfort zone.

4. Capitalize on the Short Game

• Maximize Your Strength: If you're good at chipping or putting, set yourself up to take advantage of it.
• Example: Aim for approaches that leave you in positions where you’re confident getting up and down.

5. Adapt to Conditions

• Leverage Strengths in Adverse Conditions: If you're comfortable in windy or wet conditions, adjust your strategy to gain an edge over competitors who may struggle.

6. Stay Mentally Committed

• Confidence Matters: Playing to your strengths reinforces belief in your abilities.
• Tip: Don’t compare yourself to others—stick to what works for you and trust your process.

7. Practice to Bolster Weaknesses

• While focusing on strengths during a game is smart, dedicating practice time to improving weaknesses can help expand your skill set, offering more strategic options in the future.

Conclusion

Playing to your strengths isn’t about avoiding risks—it’s about making calculated decisions that align with your natural abilities. Stick to what you do best, and you'll not only lower your scores but also build greater consistency and confidence on the course.

Jordan Spieth says he has "no pain" in his surgically repaired left wrist but still does not have a timetable for his return to tournament play.

A Florida golfer has won a battle for new golf clubs from Delta after the airline accidentally set his clubs on fire in transit.

The post Delta Airlines scorches golf clubs in bag fire, agrees to pay $4k in restitution appeared first on Golf.

As with most things in the golf equipment world, there’s an abundance of myths surrounding the golf ball. That’s a problem because bad info can cause golfers to make bad decisions about the golf balls they choose to play.

Today, we put some of those myths to bed.

I need the right golf ball compression for my swing speed

This is perhaps the most pervasive myth in the golf ball world which is why it’s starting to feel like the dead horse I just can’t stop beating.

I place the blame squarely on Matt Kuchar’s dad and the ridiculous Google algorithms that relentlessly continue to misinform golfers about this critical part of golf ball fitting.

Let me say it yet again.

Is it permissible to tap down wayward blades of grass around the hole before putting? Rules Guy has the answer.

The post Rules Guy: Is it legal to tap down grass around the hole before putting? appeared first on Golf.

Is it better to give yourself a good lie on the ground, or use a tee on a par 3? GOLF Top 100 Teacher Brian Manzella shares his thoughts.

The post Should you tee up the ball on a par 3? A Top 100 Teacher weighs in appeared first on Golf.

Scottie Scheffler's win came with a side of common sense, Bob Mac's sunset beer had extra meaning, one LIV rumor vanished and more.

The post Scottie’s common sense, Bob Mac’s sunset beer, LIV rumors | Monday Finish appeared first on Golf.

Scottie Scheffler is auctioning off his Yukon XL, complete with 184,000 miles on the odometer, for a great cause. Here's how to bid on it.

The post Scottie Scheffler’s first car for sale (but you’ll have to outbid Jim Nantz) appeared first on Golf.

In a new viral clip, Bryson DeChambeau attempts a trick shot with Donald Trump's granddaughter, but it goes horribly wrong.

The post Watch Bryson DeChambeau trick shot go horribly wrong (with Donald Trump’s granddaughter) appeared first on Golf.

With the BAL.ON Smart Kit, you can get instant feedback on your swing — and suggestions on how to fix the flaws.

The post This high-tech training aid can fix ALL areas of your game appeared first on Golf.