We all know Michael Jordan as one of the fiercest competitors to have ever lived.
Whether it was on the hardwood with the Chicago Bulls, playing cards or playing golf, Jordan was there to win, and you knew about it.
And after his NBA career, Jordan turned his attention to golf almost exclusively. He owns a golf course named The Grove XXIII, which he designed to suit his own game, and he has frequently taken on some of the biggest names on the PGA Tour and the outside sporting world.
But the reason why Jordan fell in love with the game is surprisingly poetic, and it still gives PGA Tour coach Adam Schriber chills to this day.
What Michael Jordan told Adam Schriber still gives him ‘chills’
Adam Schriber has coached some of the biggest names in golf, including US Open winner JJ Spaun and recent LIV Golf winner Anthony Kim.
He also had a close relationship with Jordan, and once asked him why he cared so much about golf. What Jordan replied with has stuck with the professional coach ever since.
Schriber told All Square: “I had the unique experience of being Michael Jordan’s whipping boy, for lack of a better term. Way back when, when he was coming back from baseball, coming back to basketball, he was coming to play in the All-Star game, which was in Orlando.
“He played nine holes with Nick Price, and I think Mark O’Meara. He shot 50 over nine holes. And MJ’s good. So I was taking him back to the arena, and everyone was talking about how he could play in the NFL tomorrow. We all know he could play baseball now, he could play the PGA Tour if he chose that.
“And he shot 50 over nine holes. Yeah, he could hit it ok, but playing golf and hitting it ok is a different story if you’re an athlete. So I was driving him back, and we’re just chatting, and I so wish I could record this for all my players to listen to.
“I’m like, ‘What is it about this game that’s got you so enamoured?’ And he just went off on me. I wish I had this recorded, because everything he said couldn’t have been more on point.
“He’s like, ‘You can’t get ahead of yourself mentally, you’ve got to stay in the moment, you’ve got to control your expectations.’ He just went through it, and everything he said sounded like the best sports psychologist you’ve ever heard.
“He’s like, and I get chills when I say this last part because I can still hear the door shut. He’s like ‘You know what, it flipping mirrors life.’ And it’s so true.
“Everything we learn playing this game, making mistakes, learning from the mistakes, not making the same mistake again, they do truly mirror life, and there’s so much of golf’s maturity you need to handle tough s–t in life.”
So there you have it! If you want to become better at navigating the ups and downs of life, pick up some golf clubs and take to the fairway.
Michael Jordan’s golf handicap
Jordan’s relationship with golf is less of a hobby and more of a second career defined by the same win-at-all-costs mentality that fuelled his six NBA championships. While many celebrities play golf, Jordan lives it, often logging 36 to 54 holes a day.
Jordan is a near-scratch golfer. His reported handicap typically hovers between 1.9 and 5.0, placing him in the top 1% of all amateur players. While he lacks the refined mechanics of a pro, his raw athletic advantages, specifically his massive hands and 6’6″ frame, allow him to generate immense power.
PGA pros who have played with him, like Rickie Fowler and Justin Thomas, often cite his short game and putting as his most underrated assets, especially when the stakes are high.
Pro golfers have noted that the stretch of holes at his course, The Grove XXIII, is designed to favor his specific ball flight, making him nearly impossible to beat for money on his own turf.
Ultimately, Jordan’s golf ability is a blend of high-level skill and unmatched mental pressure. He may not have been able to play on the PGA Tour, but he plays with a professional level of intensity that few amateurs can survive.
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