Murray’s performance, and his mindset, are one of the reasons Callaway Golf came knocking. The partnership, Murray says, happened organically. “I’d been playing with their clubs anyway and really liked the feel of them.
We had a few conversations and realised we shared the same mindset: focus, discipline, constant improvement.” Murray, who plays his golf at Beaverbrook in Surrey, says the relationship felt like the right fit from the start.
“It’s not just about sticking a logo on a cap. They’ve actually helped me understand the tech side of the game a lot better, which I find fascinating. Plus I’ve always been a bit of a gear nerd, so it suits me.”
Now part of Callaway’s European ambassador team, Murray narrates videos, tests new gear, and provides input on how to draw more players, especially youngsters looking to improve their game.
Back in March he voiced their ‘Get Sprung’ campaign, a film celebrating golfers waking from winter hibernation and heading joyfully back onto the course.
It’s a world away from Centre Court, but the emotional pay-off is curiously similar. And yet Murray is clear – he isn’t trying to become a professional golfer… yet! “I’ve got a lot of respect for the pros, and I know how much work it takes to even get close to that level.
“Right now, I’m just enjoying the game and learning as I go. I’ve played a couple of Pro-Am events and loved them, but I think for me it’s more about the joy of improving and being around great players, rather than any desire to try to emulate in golf what I did in tennis!”
Even so, he’s not shy about setting targets. “I want to become a scratch golfer,” he said recently. “I’ve always loved playing golf, but because of issues with my back, I hadn’t played for five or six years. Now with a bit more time and flexibility in my schedule, I admit it’s something I’m taking seriously.”
What helps for the two-time Olympic gold medallist is the employment of the same analytical approach that carried his tennis to such heights. He also knows how and where to scrutinise the area in which he needs to improve most. “Putting… without question!” he laughs. “In tennis you’ve got a bit more time to build momentum, but in golf, one miss on the green and it’s a double bogey.
“I’ve been working hard on pace and consistency, but putting is still the bit that unravels me now and then. That and club selection… sometimes I still think like a tennis player, just wanting to smack it!”.
It’s a fair point. While tennis is about reactive agility, golf can be a slower, more psychological form of torture. “What’s surprised me most is how mental both games are. In tennis, you’ve got split seconds to react, but you’re always adjusting… to the opponent, the surface, the weather, the crowd. Golf’s slower, but in a weird way, and that makes it harder sometimes.
“You’ve got all this time to think… too much time, maybe,” he admits. “The pressure builds before every shot, and there’s no one else to blame when it goes wrong.”
Sure enough, the former world number one who, as well as those three tennis Grand Slam titles (the US Open in 2012, then Wimbledon in 2013 and 2016) also made it to the semi-finals of a further five, has always been drawn to players who thrive under pressure. “I used to watch Tiger Woods, like most people my age. There was just something otherworldly about how dominant he was, mentally and physically.
“And I hesitate to use the word ‘boring’ but it was almost scripted at how consistent he was all the time. There is nothing wrong with quietly grinding out win after win!”
He also namechecks Luke Donald and Lee Westwood as golfers whose temperament
and focus always struck a chord. “I think I was drawn to the more composed, analytical players, maybe because I could relate to that from my tennis background.”
The similarities between golf and other sports are not lost on him either, especially when it comes to high-performance habits.
A recent round with Gareth Bale offered another glimpse into how competitors from other specialisms can translate that ability to the fairway. “Gareth’s game is seriously tidy, not just ‘decent-for-a-footballer’, but properly good. You can see how much time and effort he’s put into it.
“For me, that was eye-opening because it reminded me that top-level athletes tend to carry the same mentality over, no matter the sport. Guys like Gareth have this ability to focus on detail, and I’ve tried to adopt that same approach with my golf.”
It’s not all about metrics and mechanics, though. Murray has come to love the wider culture of the game: the camaraderie, the solitude, the subtle variations between courses.
His round at the Old Course at St Andrews this year stands out. “I’d been there before, but not properly… not with the same appreciation. This time, I took my time. The history, the views, the atmosphere… it felt like being inside a living museum. And I had a decent round too, which helped. That’s going to stay with me.”
Physical limitations do play a role in how much and how often he plays. His surgically repaired hip holds up well during the swing but can ache after long walks. “Walking 18 holes repeatedly –especially on sloped terrain –can be a bit of a strain. I just have to be smart with how I structure my week. I do some recovery work after longer sessions, same as I would with tennis, but overall it’s been easier on the body than I expected.”
The fact his dad caddied for him during the Pro-Am at Wentworth only made the experience more special. As ever with golf, it’s often the little moments, not the leaderboard, that linger. And that seems to be the space Murray now occupies – competitive, but content.
That’s not to say he doesn’t mind a laugh at his own expense, though. After his swing was critiqued online by those on X, Murray quipped, “Huge thanks to all the amateur golfers on social media for their constructive criticism of my golf swing. Much appreciated.”The wit is dry, but the point stands: he’s learning. And he’s enjoying it, as well as relishing the opportunity to keep his body moving, sharpen his mind, and perhaps chase perfection all over again.
“Golf’s not just a hobby,” he says. “It’s become something I really care about. I want to get better, not just play around.”
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