Golf has long been a favourite escape for professional athletes seeking calm away from the spotlight – and Caitlin Clark is no exception.
Speaking from Augusta National during the 2025 Masters, the Indiana Fever star explained why the sport is such a valuable tool for maintaining mental sharpness and composure in the high-pressure world of elite competition.
Clark, a keen golfer herself, was in attendance at the iconic Augusta course for the first major of the PGA Tour season. While watching the best golfers in the world tackle the challenging layout, Clark shared her views on how golf provides professional athletes a crucial mental break from their primary sport.
Steph Curry’s golf habit inspired Clark’s mindset shift
Clark pointed to Steph Curry as a prime example of how golf can help reset an athlete’s focus after a difficult performance. The Golden State Warriors star has famously used rounds of golf to clear his mind during the NBA Playoffs, returning to the court revitalised and ready to deliver.
“One of my favorite stories is when Steph Curry… [He] had just lost and he didn’t play very well,” Clark said. “The next day they had off and he didn’t wanna go to the gym. He wanted to go to the golf course. [And], next day he came out and had 45 points.”
Clark‘s story likely references Curry‘s now-iconic response during the 2022 NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics. After a poor Game 3 showing left the Warriors trailing 2-1 in the series, Curry spent his off day on the golf course.
He then erupted for 43 points in Game 4, swinging the momentum of the series as the Warriors went on to claim the championship.
The example has clearly stayed with Clark, who recognises the value of stepping away from the court to regain clarity – a lesson that applies to her own burgeoning WNBA career.
Golf’s calming influence on elite athletes
Clark is not alone in her love for golf. From Michael Jordan – who famously owns multiple golf courses – to Stephen Curry, who regularly competes in celebrity tournaments, many of basketball’s biggest names have turned to the sport as a method of relaxation and focus.
Clark admitted she’s still improving her own golf skills but values the meditative nature of the sport just as much as the competition.
“For super athletes like her, turning off the competitive spirit is far less of an option than simply finding a way to refocus it,” a source close to Clark told local media.
As Clark embarks on her rookie WNBA season with the Indiana Fever, her admiration for Curry‘s methods provides a glimpse into how she plans to manage the pressures of being one of basketball’s biggest rising stars.
Whether it’s shooting threes in a packed arena or sinking putts on a quiet course, Clark is already learning from some of sport’s greatest minds.
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