Collin Morikawa stood on the 16th tee box at the 2020 PGA Championship — nerves high, crowd buzzing, the pressure thick enough to slice with a wedge.
What came next?
A drive so pure and perfectly committed that even his caddie called it “the best shot I’ve ever seen.” But here’s the kicker: it wasn’t just about the swing. It was about the decision before it.
Morikawa’s superpower isn’t raw power or flashy gear. It’s clarity. That rare ability to eliminate noise and commit to one clear choice — and then swing like it’s the only thing that’s ever mattered.
And guess what? You don’t need two majors or a Tour card to tap into that same mindset.
Let’s break it down.
The Real Reason Collin Morikawa Stands Out
Most Tour pros can strike a ball flush. What separates Morikawa is what happens before he swings. His mental game — crafted over years with coach and sports psychologist Rick Sessinghaus — is all about structure, simplicity, and decision-making that doesn’t leave room for doubt.
“Rick has taught me so much mentally,” Morikawa shared. “But I think the one thing that really sticks with me is how important word choice is… how can you mentally change that nervousness into excitement or focus?”
That kind of internal reframing might sound small. But it’s everything when you’re standing over a shot that matters.
Instead of trying to fight pressure, Morikawa converts it into clarity. It’s not about avoiding nerves — it’s about channeling them. Which is exactly what helped him step up on 16 that Sunday and make history.
Simplicity Isn’t Boring — It’s Elite
Morikawa’s game is built on one word: simple.
That doesn’t mean robotic or basic. It means uncluttered. No dozen swing thoughts or over-analyzed trajectories. Just a clear plan, a clear feel, and full commitment.
Before a shot, he visualizes it like he’s tossing a ball. “Where would I kind of throw it, how would it release to the hole?” he says.
It’s the same approach Moe Norman — one of the best ball-strikers of all time — swore by: “I have the least moving parts.”
So while other players spiral in complexity, Morikawa goes the other way — toward simplicity. And it works.
What Changed with His Caddie Swap
After parting ways with longtime caddie J.J. Jakovac, Morikawa started working with Joe Greiner — and that shift revealed something key: Morikawa plays best when he describes the shot out loud.
“A few weeks ago, I might have just stepped up and hit a pitching wedge,” he explained. “Where today I’m really trying to describe the shot in as much detail, and that’s how I’ve always played.”
That verbal walkthrough isn’t filler. It’s part of the commitment process. The clearer the shot description, the easier it is to trust.
He also added a subtle but powerful move to his pre-shot routine — rotating his hips toward impact position before swinging. It’s not flashy, but it physically cues him into the exact feeling he wants. Less thinking. More doing.
The Decision-Making Process You Can Steal
This isn’t just Tour-level stuff. You can apply it starting tomorrow.
Start by treating each shot as its own moment. Not a punishment for your last bad swing. Not a setup for your next big mistake. Just this one shot.
As Practical Golf puts it: “The past and the future want to influence your decisions… but it’s best to evaluate this game as a series of independent decisions.”
Next? Follow this dead-simple process used by top mental coaches:
- Gather Info: What’s the lie, distance, wind, and club?
- Commit: Make a decision. And stop second-guessing it.
- Execute: Step into the bubble. Trust your prep. Swing free.
Coach James Whitaker calls it the “One Instruction Fix” — pick one cue. Not five. Not none. Just one.
Got a wedge in your hand? Focus only on your tempo. Trying to escape trouble? Commit only to a low punch shot — not “what ifs.”
More instruction ≠ more success. Simpler thoughts lead to clearer swings.
Build Your Own “Clarity Routine”
You might not rotate your hips like Morikawa — but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a go-to routine that grounds you.
For example:
- Step behind the ball
- Visualize the shot (like tossing a ball)
- Choose a single swing cue (e.g. “smooth tempo”)
- Exhale. Step in. Swing.
And don’t overlook feel shots. Morikawa uses a clock system for his wedge game, where arm positions reflect “times” on a dial — helping his body remember specific distances. You can build your own feel system over time, too.
Want to sharpen your wedges even faster? Check out our guide on spin control tips from 50 yards — you’ll never look at your gap wedge the same way again.
Final Thought: Decisiveness Wins
The thing about Morikawa? He doesn’t second-guess. Once the decision is made — club picked, shot visualized — he swings like it’s already the right call.
As Brad Faxon once said, “It’s more important to be decisive than correct.”
So if you’re standing over the ball doubting everything — your lie, your stance, your grip, your swing thought — just know that indecision is what really kills the shot.
Golf will always test you. But when you strip away the noise and play with clarity, like Morikawa does, the game gets just a little simpler. And a whole lot more satisfying.