Golf is an insanely difficult sport no matter who you are. Part of what is amazing about the game is that it has zero exceptions in this regard.
Just when you think you are starting to get a grip on golf... it is over for you. Chasing that feeling is something we all have done and will continue to do. Perfection cannot be found, but getting close enough to its orbit can be fruitful in its own way.
This disposition rings true for the best players in the world as much as it does the average players at
your home course. I was recently able to ask Cam Smith about this as he and Louis Oosthuizen discussed the upcoming LIV Golf Team Championship in Michigan.
Cam had noted to that point in the conversation that his season had not been one where the results were what he wanted, particularly in major championships. He seemed quite reflective on it all and I was curious what his thought process is as he battles that and how much he can work on it in the middle of action, specifically tournament play.
You’re constantly trying to figure stuff out, whether you’re playing great or whether you’re playing bad. Golf is a funny game like that.
Yeah, it’s been difficult, mate. I can’t quite really put my finger on it. I feel like my technical stuff is — particularly with my swing, is as good as it’s ever been, and I’m not getting the results from it. It’s been difficult in the sense that it feels really good, but I can’t go out there and play my best golf.
Working through it mentally. I feel like I’ve lost a little bit of confidence in my game. But I’m slowly getting that back, and that’s through hard work and hitting the right shots on the golf course.
It’s just a matter of time, I feel like. I don’t think it’s a technical issue or anything like that. It’s just a little bit of a setback, and we’ll be right back up there before we know it.
You could apply this disposition to almost anything in life, not just golf. We have all been trying to problem-solve something and felt like the technicality of it all was sound. Sometimes things just don’t work. Results are not there. The mental side of things, in this case the mental side of golf, begin to creep up and challenge.
It is rare for professional athletes to speak up like this so I greatly respect and admire Cam Smith for having the vulnerability to do so. Understanding what he is going through helps fans of him individually and of his LIV Golf team (Ripper GC) empathize with him on top of rooting for success.
Cam and Louis discussed a variety of things, including the changes to LIV Golf’s Team Championship format. The Championship at LIV Golf Michigan is set to take place at The Cardinal at Saint John’s from August 22nd through 24th.
️ BREAKING: As reported by @flushingitgolf, the LIV Golf League is expected to make some changes to its Team Championship event held in Michigan, August 20-24.
— 54 Golf Podcast | LIV’s New Media (@_54Golf) July 31, 2025
Yay or nay to the new format? ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/WSBagK93Iq
Here’s to hoping that Cam Smith is able to figure out what he needs to, as mentioned he certainly has the right approach to his process.
