Wicked Smart Golf
Michael Leonard
Welcome to Wicked Smart Golf, the go-to podcast for golfers who want to shoot lower scores and play their best without changing their swing.
Hosted by Michael Leonard, a +2 handicap golfer, best-selling author, and founder of Wicked Smart Golf, this show has helped golfers around the world play smarter, more consistent golf with over 1 million downloads and counting.
Michael has written over 4 million words on golf, authored four books, and built one of the fastest-growing platforms in the game, all focused on one mission: help you lower your scores without obsessing over your swing.
Because the truth is, your swing will never be perfect. But you don't need a perfect swing to break 80, shoot in the 70s, or play the best golf of your life.
In this podcast, you'll learn how to master the mental game, play smarter on the course, practice with purpose, and simplify your short game and putting for lower scores. Each episode is designed to give you practical strategies you can actually use, whether you're a beginner or an experienced player trying to reach the next level.
You'll also hear from some of the best minds in golf, including top coaches, elite players, sports psychologists, and best-selling authors, sharing insights to help you improve faster and perform under pressure.
If you're serious about playing more consistent golf and finally reaching your potential, this podcast is for you.
For even more, check out the Wicked Smart Golf book series on Amazon and Audible, where you'll find step-by-step systems to improve every part of your game.
Hosted by Michael Leonard, a +2 handicap golfer, best-selling author, and founder of Wicked Smart Golf, this show has helped golfers around the world play smarter, more consistent golf with over 1 million downloads and counting.
Michael has written over 4 million words on golf, authored four books, and built one of the fastest-growing platforms in the game, all focused on one mission: help you lower your scores without obsessing over your swing.
Because the truth is, your swing will never be perfect. But you don't need a perfect swing to break 80, shoot in the 70s, or play the best golf of your life.
In this podcast, you'll learn how to master the mental game, play smarter on the course, practice with purpose, and simplify your short game and putting for lower scores. Each episode is designed to give you practical strategies you can actually use, whether you're a beginner or an experienced player trying to reach the next level.
You'll also hear from some of the best minds in golf, including top coaches, elite players, sports psychologists, and best-selling authors, sharing insights to help you improve faster and perform under pressure.
If you're serious about playing more consistent golf and finally reaching your potential, this podcast is for you.
For even more, check out the Wicked Smart Golf book series on Amazon and Audible, where you'll find step-by-step systems to improve every part of your game.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Apr 7, 2026 • 20min
483: "Rory McIlroy: The Masters Wait" Recap: 7 Instant Mindset Hacks
A deep dive into mental golf lessons inspired by Rory McIlroy’s documentary. Short, practical mindset hacks like using optimism and changing physiology to reset your brain. Advice on playing in tune with your personality and when to seek coaching. Tips for training your mental game off the course with visualization, breathing, and hypnotherapy.
50 snips
Apr 2, 2026 • 1h
482: Jeff Troesch - Build a Mental Game That Actually Works for You
Jeff Troesch, a sports psychologist and mental performance coach who works with golfers and athletes, shares practical mental-game tools. He discusses filtering outside noise, the dimmer-switch metaphor for intensity, purposeful pre/post-shot routines, sensory and breathing hacks to recover, and how to prime your mind before a round.
25 snips
Mar 31, 2026 • 24min
481: Start Your Season Right - 7 Lessons To Help Lower Your Scores
Speed training secrets and how to keep power during the season. Structuring high-volume sessions and safe progression for more swing speed. Sensory breathing and presence techniques to stay calm under pressure. Pro habit strategies like 'act as if' and treating training like an athlete. Wearables, recovery tactics, competitive practice drills, and an AI visualization app to sharpen focus.
14 snips
Mar 27, 2026 • 59min
Kevin Dougherty: Proven Scoring Secrets from a Seasoned Pro Golfer
Kevin Dougherty, a PGA Tour pro known for his driving distance and fitness-first approach. He talks routine-driven pre-round prep, focused putting warm-ups, using a mini driver for control, speed-training methods to add yards, and how sports psychology and rehab shaped his resilience and game plan.
50 snips
Mar 26, 2026 • 53min
480: Cordie Walker - How to Develop a "Scoring Edge" for 2026
Cordy Walker, creator of Golf Well and author of The Scoring Edge, is a coach and researcher bringing practical golf solutions. He dives into practice structure, using tech and feedback wisely, a 5-4-3-2-1 presence routine, speed training methods to boost ball speed, and course management tactics to lower scores. Short, actionable topics aimed at helping golfers improve quickly.
29 snips
Mar 24, 2026 • 24min
479: 7 Golf Fitness Mistakes That Limit Your Scoring Potential
Common fitness mistakes that hold back your golf scores are unpacked in short, practical segments. Learn why mimicking the swing in the gym is counterproductive and why lifting heavy builds real strength. Hear about the role of cardio, dynamic warmups, consistent speed training, hydration, sleep, and making sustainable habits to play better more often.
25 snips
Mar 19, 2026 • 60min
478: Matt Stenson - From 2 Handicap to Pro Golfer in 2 Short Years
Matt Stenson, an Australian pro who went from a 2 handicap amateur to touring player in just a few years. He discusses intense, gamified practice routines, the steep learning curve of tournament golf, building a one-shot shape and smarter club choices, simple breathing and pre-round activation routines, and how fitness and recovery support consistent performance.
46 snips
Mar 17, 2026 • 28min
477: The Real Reason to Track Stats + 5 Stat Apps For All Budgets
They explain why tracking golf stats matters beyond spotting weaknesses and how it shapes realistic expectations. You’ll hear how tour data and scratch profiles define targets and reveal where to focus practice. Several tracking tools are compared, from manual course strategy systems to automatic GPS and sensor options for every budget.
23 snips
Mar 13, 2026 • 53min
Dr. Michael Lardon: Learn How to Unlock Peak Performance (Flashback Friday)
Dr. Michael Lardon, world-renowned sports psychiatrist and bestselling author, shares his work with elite athletes and pro golfers. He explains the zone, his left/right/no-brain pre-shot pyramid, mental scorecards, and simple placeholders to manage thoughts. Short stories from Q‑School and tips on routines, caddies, and recovering after a bad hole round out a practical look at peak performance.
14 snips
Mar 12, 2026 • 1h 4min
476: Brad Thompson - Strength, Cardio, and Hydration Hacks for Scratch Golf
Brad Thompson, a TPI-certified golf fitness and strength coach and competitive amateur, explains training like an athlete with mobility as the foundation. He covers compound lifts and fast-twitch work for speed. Learn his warmup-to-power session structure, conditioning progressions, on-course fueling, and a simple weigh-and-replace rehydration trick.
