50 Best Golf Quotes Of All Time

Like life, Golf can be a rollercoaster of emotions. It has the power to lift you up and bring you down, all in a span of a few holes.

Still, we keep playing, lured by the challenge and the promise of improvement.

Not surprisingly, the game has produced some of the most insightful and thought-provoking golf quotes.

From legends like Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer to modern-day stars like Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, these golfers have shared their wisdom on how to succeed in the game and in life.

Their words remind us to stay focused, stay positive, and always strive for greatness.

Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned pro, these famous golf quotes can inspire you to be the best you can be both on and off the course.

So the next time you feel frustrated or defeated, remember these golf quotes and keep swinging.

4 golfers walk side by side across a golf course in the sun, talking about golf quotes

Motivational Golf Quotes for Beginners

“The short game is 90% of the game.” 

– Phil Mickelson

Phil Mickelson emphasizes the importance of mastering the short game for success in golf. As a beginner, focusing on improving your short game can have a big impact on your scores.

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“The golf swing is like a suitcase into which we are trying to pack one too many things.” 

– John Updike

This clever quote from John Updike acknowledges that learning the fundamentals of the golf swing can feel overwhelming and unnatural. But with practice and repetition, it becomes second nature, and the swing becomes a fluid, effortless motion.

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Hit the shot you know you can hit, not the one you think you should.” 

– Phil Mickelson

Mickelson advises beginner golfers to stick with shots they know they can make rather than attempting risky or difficult shots that could lead to trouble.

Female golfer wearing a blue top and white shorts swings a golf club with the sky in the background.

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“Golf is a game of the long run.” 

– Jack Nicklaus

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“The most rewarding things you do in life are often the ones that look like they cannot be done.” 

– Tiger Woods

Golfing Wisdom from the Silver Screen

“It’s all in the hips.” 

– Chubbs Peterson, Happy Gilmore

This quote from Happy Gilmore emphasizes the importance of using your body. Chubb Peterson recognizes that a strong core is necessary for success, not only in golf but also in achieving one’s goals and dreams.

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“Be the ball.” 

– Ty Webb, Caddyshack

This quote from Chevy Chase’s character in Caddyshack is often quoted in jest, but it actually has some practical applications.

By “being the ball,” golfers can visualize their shots and better execute them. The quote also speaks to the mental aspect of golf, encouraging players to focus and be fully present in the moment.

Golf ball lying on the grass in the foreground with a blurred out background.

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“Golf is a game that can’t be won, only played.” 

– Bagger Vance, The Legend of Bagger Vance

This quote from The Legend of Bagger Vance highlights the idea that golf is not about winning or losing but rather about the experience and the journey of playing the game.

It reminds us to enjoy the process and not focus solely on the outcome.

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“You don’t have to be good to start. But you have to start to be good.” 

– Joe Louis Barrow, The Legend of Bagger Vance

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“I don’t like to lose, but I don’t get upset about it. I just go home and have a glass of milk.” 

– Arnold Palmer, Follow the Sun

The Funniest Quotes to Come Out of the Green

“The only time my prayers are never answered is playing golf.” 

– Billy Graham

This quote by Billy Graham pokes fun at the frustration of playing golf and the feeling of being unlucky on the course.

Three male golfers wearing polo tops and trousers laugh and talk on a golf course.

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“Golf is a game whose aim is to hit a very small ball into an even smaller hole, with weapons singularly ill-designed for the purpose.” 

– Winston Churchill

Winston Churchill’s humorous take on golf highlights the difficulty of the game and the mismatch between the size of the ball, the hole, and the golf clubs.

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“I’m not saying my golf game went bad, but if I grew tomatoes, they’d come up sliced.” 

– Lee Trevino

Lee Trevino’s quote is a humorous way of acknowledging a bad day on the golf course and a tendency to hit the ball off course.

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“I don’t fear death, but I sure don’t like those three-footers for par.” 

– Chi Chi Rodriguez

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“If you’re caught on a golf course during a storm and are afraid of lightning, hold up a 1-iron. Not even God can hit a 1-iron.” 

Lee Trevino

Silhouette off golfer swinging a golf club with the sun setting in the background.

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“Golf is a game in which you yell ‘fore,’ shoot six, and write down five.” 

– Paul Harvey

Wise Words From Golf Legends

“The harder you work, the luckier you get.” 

– Gary Player

Gary Player believed that success in golf (and life) was a result of hard work and perseverance. In this quote, he reminds golfers that luck is not simply a matter of chance but rather a product of dedication and effort.

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“Golf is a puzzle without an answer. I’ve played the game for 50 years, and I still haven’t the slightest idea of how to play.” 

– Gary Player

Gary Player’s humility shines through in this quote, as he admits that even after decades of playing golf, he still feels like he has much to learn.

This quote is a reminder that golf is a complex and challenging sport and that even the best players can never fully master it.

Two parents teach their kids how to play golf on a golf course.

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“The more I practice, the luckier I get.” 

– Arnold Palmer

Arnold Palmer believed that hard work was the key to success in golf. He often said that the more he practiced, the more opportunities he had to improve his game and the more success he had on the course.

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“Success in golf depends less on strength of body than upon strength of mind and character.” 

– Arnold Palmer

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“Golf is a game of ego, but it is also a game of integrity: the most important thing is you do what is right when no one is looking.” 

– Tom Watson

Golfer wearing blue top and blue trousers swings a golf club on a golf course with the sun shining.

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“Golf is the closest game to the game we call life. You get bad breaks from good shots; you get good breaks from bad shots – but you have to play the ball where it lies.” 

– Bobby Jones

Mastering the Mental Golf Game

“Golf is 90 percent mental and 10 percent physical.” 

– Jack Nicklaus

Jack Nicklaus emphasizes the importance of the mental game in golf, suggesting that success on the course depends more on one’s mindset than on physical ability.

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“Golf is not a game of perfect.” 

– Dr. Bob Rotella

Dr. Bob Rotella argues that perfection is an unrealistic and unattainable goal in golf.

Instead, he encourages golfers to focus on playing their best at the moment and accepting the inevitable mistakes that come with the game.

Golf ball and golf flag lie in foreground on a golf course with trees in the background.

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“Golf is a game of confidence, and confidence is the key to success. The key to confidence is preparation.” 

– Arnold Palmer

Arnold Palmer stresses the role of preparation in building confidence, which is critical to success in golf. Being mentally prepared can help golfers stay focused and maintain a positive attitude throughout a round.

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“The mental game of golf is what separates the good players from the great players.” 

– Tiger Woods

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“You can’t always control where your ball goes, but you can control how you react to it.” 

– Phil Mickelson

Golf as a Metaphor for Life

“Golf is a game of life, like life itself; it’s a game of trying to do better.” 

– Gary Player

Gary Player compares golf to life, highlighting the importance of continuous improvement in both.

Two female golfer laugh and talk whilst standing on the golfing green.

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“Golf is a compromise between what your ego wants you to do, what experience tells you to do, and what your nerves let you do.” 

– Bruce Crampton

Bruce Crampton uses golf as a metaphor for decision-making, suggesting that success in both golf and life requires balancing one’s desires, experience, and anxiety.

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“Golf is a mirror to life. Sometimes you’re playing against yourself. Sometimes you’re playing against nature. Sometimes you’re playing against man.” 

– Dr. Bob Rotella

Bob Rotella likens golf to life, suggesting that the challenges faced on the course mirror those encountered in everyday life.

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I never learned anything from a match I won.” 

– Bobby Jones

Golfer wearing trousers and shoes stands next to hole whilst putting golf ball.

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“Golf is like life; it’s not just about hitting the ball, but what you do after that matters.” 

Rory McIlroy

Golf Quotes to Improve Your Long Game

The driver is like a wild stallion; it can either be your best friend or your worst enemy.” 

– Greg Norman

This quote by Greg Norman highlights the unpredictable nature of the driver. Just like a wild stallion, it can be a great asset or a liability, depending on how well it’s controlled.

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“The driver is the most important club in the bag. If you can’t hit it straight, you’re going to have a long day.” 

– Tom Watson

Tom Watson’s quote emphasizes the significance of the driver in a golfer’s bag. If a player can’t hit it straight, they will struggle to keep the ball in play and likely have a difficult day on the course.

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“The most important key to a long drive is the ball contact, not the power.” 

– Tom Watson

This quote implies that a golfer can achieve greater distance with a well-struck shot than with a powerful but poorly-struck shot.

Golfer swings club, hitting grass into the air as the golf club hits the ball.

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“Winning takes care of everything.” 

– Tiger Woods

Golf Quotes to Improve Your Short Game

“Putting is like wisdom – partly a natural gift and partly the accumulation of experience.” 

– Arnold Palmer

Arnold Palmer’s quote compares putting to the acquisition of wisdom. Like wisdom, putting requires a combination of innate talent and experience gained through practice.

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“Putting is like breathing; if you don’t do it, you die.” 

– Ben Crenshaw

While putting may not be a matter of life and death, it is a fundamental aspect of the game.

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“There’s no better feeling than making a long putt for birdie or par. It’s like stealing one from the course.” 

– Jack Nicklaus

Jack Nicklaus’ quote highlights the satisfaction of making a long putt. It can feel like a triumph over the course, stealing a stroke that might have otherwise been lost.

Golfer wearing pink top and brown trousers swings golf club at golf ball with trees in the background.

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“You can talk yourself out of anything, especially a good putt.” 

– Payne Stewart

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“Drive for show, putt for dough.” 

– Bobby Locke

Quotes About Overcoming Adversity on the Course

“You have to accept your misses and the fact that you’re going to make them. It’s what you do after the miss that counts.” 

– Jack Nicklaus

Jack Nicklaus’ quote speaks to the importance of resilience and staying positive after a bad shot or a difficult hole and how it can be the key to success on the course.

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“I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” 

– Michael Jordan

While not specifically about golf, Michael Jordan’s quote speaks to the importance of persistence and determination in the face of failure, a trait that is crucial in both golf and life. 

Man wearing blue polo top and white cap swings golf club.

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“You can always find a distraction if you’re looking for one.” 

– Tom Kite

Tom Kite’s quote speaks to the importance of focus and concentration on the course and how it can be easy to get sidetracked if you’re not careful.

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“Golf is a game of mistakes. The key is to make them when nobody is looking.” 

– Bobby Jones

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“You have to fight through some bad days to earn the best days of your life.” 

– Tiger Woods

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Quotes About Enduring the Challenges of Golf

“Golf is a game of patience, persistence, and perseverance.” 

– Vijay Singh

Vijay Singh’s quote emphasizes the importance of staying committed to the game, even when it’s frustrating or difficult.

Man wearing orange polo shirt while standing on the putting green hitting a golf ball in the hole.

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“Golf is deceptively simple and endlessly complicated.” 

– Arnold Palmer

Arnold Palmer’s quote speaks to the paradoxical nature of golf, and how it can be both a simple and complex game at the same time.

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“Golf is a sport that rewards consistency over raw power, precision over distance.” 

– Payne Stewart

Payne Stewart’s quote highlights how golf values consistency and precision over raw power and distance, making it a unique and challenging sport.

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“I’ve always believed that if you put in the work, the results will come.” 

– Tiger Woods

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Man wearing light blue trousers and white shoes putts golf ball while the flag lies on the ground.

Summary

The challenges and triumphs on the golf course can teach us valuable lessons about perseverance, dedication, and humility.

The wisdom and inspiration shared by some of the greatest golfers of all time through their quotes can motivate us to keep pushing ourselves toward success, not just in golf but in all aspects of life. 

Let these golf quotes be your guiding light on your journey to becoming the best version of yourself, both on and off the course. 

Keep swinging!

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Photo of author
After graduating from the Professional Golf Management program in Palm Springs, CA, I moved back to Toronto, Canada, turned pro and became a Class 'A' member of the PGA of Canada. I then began working at some of the city's most prominent country clubs. While this was exciting, it wasn't as fulfilling as teaching, and I made the change from a pro shop professional to a teaching professional. Within two years, I was the Lead Teaching Professional at one of Toronto's busiest golf instruction facilities. Since then, I've stepped back from the stress of running a successful golf academy to focus on helping golfers in a different way. Knowledge is key so improving a players golf IQ is crucial when choosing things like the right equipment or how to cure a slice. As a writer I can help a wide range of people while still having a little time to golf myself!

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