We’ve all heard it: “He’s just a natural feel player” or “She’s got great hands.” But what if I told you that golf feel isn’t some mystical gift you’re born with? It’s actually a trainable skill, just like your swing mechanics or course management. This week’s podcast dives deep into this game-changing concept, starting with Steve Jobs obsessively testing iPhone prototypes until one “felt right” in his hands—a feel-based decision that changed the world. The same principles apply to golf: feel is your brain’s sophisticated ability to process complex information and deliver instant judgments about distance, lie conditions, and shot requirements.
The research is fascinating and the applications are immediate. Studies on wine expertise show that masters don’t have better taste buds—they’ve developed superior pattern recognition through years of deliberate practice. Tour pros like Collin Morikawa understand this, which is why he recently played an entire round without a glove to enhance his tactile feedback and develop better feel. In this episode, we break down exactly how feel develops over time, why it can be systematically trained, and provide three specific drills you can use to build your own feel library. Whether you’re trying to improve your distance control or make better decisions under pressure, understanding that feel is a skill—not talent—changes everything about how you approach improvement.
Links:
Drills: https://bettergolfacademy.com/feel
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