484: Gary Christian - PGA Tour Secrets Amateur Golfers Need to Adopt ASAP

15 snips

Apr 9, 2026

Gary Christian, former PGA Tour player turned broadcaster and coach known for late-career success, shares pro shortcuts amateurs can use now. He covers visualization and mental warm-ups, purposeful pre-round and practice routines, wedge distance work, green reading, putting tempo with a metronome, and course-management tactics pros use to play smarter.

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ANECDOTE

Beach Visualization That Fixed A Collapse

Gary Christian kept a mental file of his best shots and walked the beach visualizing them for two hours to recover from a bad qualifying round.
Vivid multisensory imagery (smell, feel, sound) helped him sleep and then shoot the needed low rounds to advance in qualifying.

ADVICE

Warm Up With Intentional Short Routines

Warm up with intention not volume: focus on rhythm, balance and tempo with five quality swings and 10 putts to feel speed rather than hitting 50 unspecific balls.
PGA Tour players set up drills (mirrors, lines) pre-round to reduce variables and build confidence.

INSIGHT

Watch Choices Not Just Swings On TV

Watching tour coverage reveals decision-making around the greens more than mechanics; course management choices beat swing envy.
Pros aim safer targets and accept conservative routes, which yields steady, boring 66s more often than heroic shots.

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Today's guest is Gary Christian, a former PGA Tour player, broadcaster, and one of the most inspiring player-coaches in the game. In this episode we tap into professional golf secrets that you can adopt ASAP, including:

Easy wedge practice tips
How a free app can help your putting tempo
Why more golfers need to practice green reading
The power of visualization to improve your mental game
The importance of being aware on and off the course to control the controllables

And more PGA Tour secrets from Gary and others that can help you play wicked smart golf.

Make sure to follow Gary on Instagram and check out his website to learn more about working together.

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