13 Golf Superstitions Worth Trying
Golf gets called a lot of things: traditional, honorable, a game of rules and inches.
For a sport with that reputation, it’s surprisingly unpredictable. The breeze shifts. A putt lips out. A perfect drive catches a sprinkler head and kicks sideways.
When it happens, the only leverage you have is what you can repeat on purpose. Whether you call it a routine, a lucky charm, or “what worked last time,” these are 13 superstitions worth a look.
Try a few. Your game might like them.
1. Don’t step on the line.
Etiquette started it but superstition sustains it. Modern rules have made greens more forgiving but most players still tiptoe around each other’s lines because they believe a well-kept green returns the favor.
2. Lucky wearables.
This superstition is probably the most common across all sports and spanning all types of clothing. No, it’s not magic. It all boils down to the thought that confidence and performance comes with comfort. That’s why the shoes you’re wearing during a particularly good round can start to feel like part of your swing. Confidence you can put on. And sometimes, on a tight back nine, that’s enough.
Kevork Djansezian, Golf Digest, 2024
3. The power color.
Not unlike the second superstition, this one also comes with research to back it up. We know Rickie rocks orange. Bubba and Paula Creamer both picked pinks. But the most recognizable, obvious superstition in golf (even if he won't call it that), is Tiger’s Sunday (Sun Day) Red. Only straying from the hue a few times, Tiger traces the habit to his mother who called it his “power color.”
4. Don’t clean the luck off.
If the ball or a club is “hot,” some golfers won’t touch a washer until the magic fades. While this superstition may not be science, momentum is real.
5. Retire the ball after the moment.
Other golfers take a different approach. Ernie Els has been linked to the thought that every ball has one single birdie in it. Once you catch it, the magic is gone. In the same sense, many players also bench a ball after a three-putt in an attempt to dump the bad luck.
6. Never changing the bag order.
Clubs live in the same slots, the same headcovers ride shotgun, and the same towel makes the trip to the green. It’s the classic grab-n-go so you can focus on the important things. Basic organization and routine on paper; ritual in practice.
7. The numbers count.
Ben Crenshaw liked balls numbered one through four, the superstition being that low numbers invite low scores. Scottie Scheffler went the other direction, preferring to play only high numbers 5–8 after learning the hard way in college how easy it is to hit the wrong ball.
8. Keep balls in your bag, not pocket.
In any other situation, we would call this being prepared or an attempt to keep play moving, but plenty of golfers warn against carrying extra balls in your pocket. Saying that having the standbys ready is just begging to have to use them.
9. Make your mark.
Heads down, eyes up, year pointing at the hole, brand logo extending the line… theres’s a million ways this superstition shows up. At the end of the day, the mechanics don’t matter, but the consistency. Paul Azinger preferred heads-up penny with Lincoln’s eyes at the cup.
10. Even or odd.
Some swear by threes, be it coins, tees or both. Others count out an exact number of tees before every round because it feels like locking in the day’s rhythm. Still others will take the idea all the way to the clubhouse, picking a specific locker number.
The Open, 2020
11. Pocket content matters.
Caddies and coaches have been overheard suggesting players find small bits and pieces of their game that they can control and keep those consistent. The idea is that your brain relaxes around routines and the familiar. Gene Sauers kept two nickels in his right pocket whereas Jack Nicklaus always had three coins in his.
12. Don’t total your score until the end.
Half superstition, half-sports psychology. Many coaches encourage waiting until the card is signed to tally up your score. They suggest the mid-round math adds unnecessary pressure, spike anxiety and affect decision-making for the rest of the round.
13. Don’t say it.
Look, we all know there are some things that you should not say. Media and rules explainers have long noted how golfers dance around the term because language can mess with confidence. Call it “hosel rocket.” Call it something else. Just, whatever you do, don’t tempt fate and say shank!
Adopting any of these superstitions won’t swing the club for you. But accepting that habits can quiet trivial decisions to leave you freer to focus on what matters. If a routine settles your eyes and calms your mind, keep it. The scorecard will tell you the rest.