LAKE TAHOE, NV – “You’re not good enough to think.”
That is the advice that two-time major winner Justin Thomas gave to WWE Superstar The Miz, which the wrestler claims changed his game.
The American Century Championship brings together a wide range of well-known celebrities and athletes to give them the chance to live out their professional golf dreams for a week. It’s all fun and smiles, but don’t get it wrong: They take pride in their games, and they’re here to compete.
Perhaps the most interesting part of the weekend is watching the golf swings of these professional athletes from other sports, both current and retired.
Considering that golf is, at best, their second sport, most of them are above average players with elements of their game the rest of us can relate to. Professional athletes in general seem to be able to pick up golf quickly. Even the higher handicaps have fluid and powerful golf swings. Then there’s Stephen Curry, who has a near tour-level swing.
So, what is it about these athletes that allows them to play golf at a competitive level? We asked them, and the answer, almost unanimously, was to stop thinking about your swing.
Every athlete we talked to said the less they think, and the more they let their athletic instincts take over, the better they play.
Here is what they said in their own words:
Jon Smoltz, Hall of Fame Pitcher
“We didn’t try to get mechanical. We didn’t try to make it another thing that we had to worry about; we just went out and had fun.”
Dom Furore
Mardy Fish, Olympic Silver Medalist in Tennis
“I don’t have [a swing thought]. I just swing.”
Vinny del Negro, Former NBA Guard and Coach
“I just try to aim and fire. If I start thinking too much, nothing really good happens. Just aim at something and try to hit it at that spot and try to stay down through the shot, that’s all I’m thinking about.”
Stephen Curry, 4x NBA Champion, MVP
“I think out of my career, I’m like a 43 percent 3-point shooter. It might feel like I don’t miss, but I do 57 percent of the time. What do you do on the next shot? That’s how you tap into it. If I miss a 3 and I get it back, I have the same or if not more confidence that the next one is going in. So, if you miss a drive or miss a putt, whatever the case is, how quickly can you move on to the next shot.”
Swings from the American Century Championship. 🔥
Which celeb swing is your favorite? pic.twitter.com/ctlSOqHGcl
— Golf Digest (@GolfDigest) July 10, 2025
Mark Mulder, MLB All-Star
“It’s having the short memory. If I gave up a homer, what good is it to get mad about it? It’s done with. Get another ball from the ump and go make a pitch. Same way on the golf course — you hit a ball in the trees, it’s an opportunity to go hit a good shot. Embrace it. Having that short memory helps.”
Grant Hill, NBA Hall of Famer
“Sometimes you’re at your best when you’re not thinking. In basketball when you get in the zone, you’re not thinking, you’re just instinctive. I think when you’re instinctive in golf, at least for me, I tend to play better. When I’m good, I just think ‘be an athlete.’”
The Miz, Professional WWE Wrestler
“Justin Thomas gave me this advice… he said, ‘You’re not good enough to think.’ When I got up to the ball he goes, ‘Don’t think, just shoot. Just do it.’ I hit the ball. Best shot of my entire life. So now, all I hear is Justin Thomas going, ‘Just hit the ball! Just go!’”
Seth Curry, NBA Guard
“When I’m thinking, I don’t shoot as well. So it’s the same thing with the swing. When I get over there and just let my routine take over, that’s when I’m swinging my best. I try not to have any thoughts. That’s when I’m usually making a lot of shots.”
Trevor Lawrence, NFL Pro Bowl QB
“It’s a good escape. The mental game does help you stay calm. One shot at a time. I think trying to calm myself down and take it slow. I usually try to swing too hard, so I try to slow myself down. In football, too, it’s like, don’t get too tensed up. Stay relaxed. Just go play. That’s what you try to do.”
Matthew Tkachuk, NHL All-Star
“The more you slow it down, the better off you are in golf.”
Zach LaVine, NBA All-Star
“You can’t out-athletic golf. Twitchy athletes like me, you got to try to slow down. I think the one thing you can take [from basketball] is be reactive. Don’t try to think about things too much. I started being able to just go up and hit the ball. Golf is hard, man. I’m glad I’m a basketball player. Just commit to the shot, and understand you’re not Tiger or Scottie.”
So, next time you’re standing over a tee shot going through your laundry list of swing thoughts, take some advice from the best athletes in the world. Turn off your brain for a minute, and hone your natural athletic instincts instead.
This article was originally published on golfdigest.com
