When Tiger Woods won the Masters by 12 shots in 1997, then decided to rebuild his swing, it paved the way for the most dominant stretch of golf in history. It was also evidence of what sports psychologists call a “mastery mindset,” when an individual is driven more by a goal of constant improvement than external rewards. As Sam Weinman explores, this way of thinking is on display with many of the game’s top players. In conversations with Masters champion Scottie Scheffler, two-time major winner Collin Morikawa, and experts, we explore how a simple shift in thinking might be more important than any single swing change.
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