Links for Life

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5 sur 14

Our Favorite Golf Games for Getting Better and Having More Fun
In this episode, Tommy and Joe walk through a wide range of golf games—both team-based and solo—that make golf more fun while also sharpening your skills. From classics like Nassau, Wolf, Skins and Bingo Bango Bongo to creative solo formats like forward-tee rounds, back-tee rounds and reverse scrambles, these games help sharpen strategy, create pressure, practice smarter, and bring creativity back to the course.They also explore how mixing up formats reveals weaknesses, builds confidence, and keeps golf fresh and enjoyable. Whether you're playing with friends or testing yourself alone, these games give you structure, focus, and a way to practice the mental game in real time.(0:00) Intro(3:15) Golf Games Glossary(11:53) The Benefit of Golf Games(13:33) Nassau(18:24) Wolf(26:19) Skins(28:29) Bingo Bango Bongo(34:13) 3 Sixes(36:10) Getting Creative with Formats(39:09) Solo Games(40:00) Playing from the Forward Tees(45:09) Playing from the Back Tees(47:11) Self-Scramble / Best Ball(52:29) Reverse Scramble(54:53) Final ThoughtsLove the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share!
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59:25
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59:25
Creating a Golf Performance Routine (Think, Play, Memory, Refresh)
In this episode of Links for Life, Tommy and Joe break down one of the simplest but most powerful frameworks for playing better golf: the four-box cycle of Think, Play, Memory, and Refresh. Adapted from the book Be a Player by Pia Nilsson and Lynn Marriott (Vision54), the framework turns every shot into a repeatable rhythm that helps golfers manage emotions, make smarter decisions, and execute with clarity.Tommy explains how each “box” creates structure around the chaos of a golf round. Joe shares how the model is helping him eliminate overthinking and separate decisions from execution. Together, they highlight how this cycle not only improves performance on the course — it also maps beautifully onto rhythms of daily life.Timestamps0:00 Intro16:14 Introducing the four-box performance framework20:16 Overview of Think, Play, Memory, Refresh26:34 The Think Box46:35 The Play Box1:05:40 The Memory Box1:16:11 The Refresh Box1:23:55 Applying the four boxes to daily lifeTakeawaysThere’s genius in this framework — it simplifies everything.Each box is its own action, helping you avoid blending thinking and execution.The cycle repeats every shot, giving you a clean reset.The Memory Box keeps you from dragging emotions into the next shot.The Refresh Box is where rhythm, joy, and presence return.This same cycle maps onto daily life: plan, act, reflect, rest.ResourcesBe a Player by Pia Nilsson & Lynn MarriottVision54 Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share!
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1:33:00
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1:33:00
Why Most Golfers Never Improve and How You Can
In this episode of Links for Life, Tommy and Joe unpack one of the most surprising realities in golf: most golfers never actually get better. Handicaps stay the same for years, even decades — not because people aren’t trying, but because most golfers don’t know how to practice in ways that lead to real improvement.This episode dives deep into the art of practicing well. Tommy and Joe explore why so much effort gets wasted, what effective practice actually looks like, and how intention, experimentation, and honest self-assessment can transform both your game and your enjoyment of it. They break down practical strategies for range sessions, short game work, overcoming weaknesses, and building an off-season plan that sets up a breakthrough season ahead.Whether you're new to practice or you’ve been stuck at the same scoring plateau, this episode gives you a clear, encouraging roadmap for how to finally start improving.Takeaways:Most golfers fail to improve because they practice the same habits without intention.Effective practice is purposeful, targeted, and fun enough to keep you engaged.Gamifying practice boosts focus and accelerates learning.Experimenting with ball flight and feel on the range teaches more than grinding stock shots.Short game practice is essential — yet it’s the least practiced part of the game.Honest self-assessment helps you identify what’s actually holding you back.An off-season plan turns “winter rust” into real progress.Balancing strengths and weaknesses keeps practice structured and sustainable.Improvement comes from rhythm, reflection, and the courage to face what’s sabotaging your game.Better practice in golf mirrors better practice in life — clarity and intention matter everywhere.Golf Self-Assessment List (1–10 Scale)Use this to determine where your practice should go:PuttingChippingSand playPitchingHalf wedges (40–70 yards)IronsFairway woods / hybridsDriverLife 360–Style Reflection List (as applied to golf)Framework referenced by Tommy:CommunicationFinancesMarriage / relationshipsParentingHealthWork / vocationPersonal growthEmotional lifeSpiritual lifeRhythms / restChapters00:00 The Challenge of Improvement in Golf02:42 The Importance of Effective Practice05:48 Mindset and Intentionality in Practice08:53 Making Practice Fun and Engaging11:49 The Role of Intention in Practice Sessions14:50 Experimentation and Learning on the Range17:45 Short Game as the Key to Golf Success28:03 Mastering the Short Game30:50 Developing an Off-Season Plan33:32 Self-Assessment for Improvement38:47 Embracing Frustration in Practice42:50 Identifying and Overcoming Sabotaging Weaknesses47:44 Balancing Perfectionism and ProgressLove the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share!
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55:45
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55:45
Takeaways from Watching the Champions Tour
In this episode of Links for Life, Tommy and Joe share their biggest takeaways from attending the Dominion Energy Charity Classic. Watching legends like Bernhard Langer, Ernie Els, and Freddie Jacobson up close offered a masterclass in calm focus, emotional control, and smart play. They discuss how the pros manage pressure, recover from mistakes, and approach every shot with intention—lessons that apply far beyond the course.From slowing down under pressure to keeping ego out of decision-making, this conversation explores what makes Champions Tour players so consistent and how those same habits can improve both your golf game and your everyday life.TakeawaysChampions Tour players model calm confidence and emotional control.Every shot matters, but no single shot should matter too much.Slowing down helps regulate focus and performance under pressure.Physical posture and pace can calm the mind and prevent emotional spirals.The pros know when to play smart and when to take calculated risks.The same mindset that improves golf can help us navigate work and relationships.Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share!
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39:52
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39:52
Bringing the Good News to the Golf Nation with Pete Hiskey
In this episode of Links for Life, host Tommy Thompson sits down with Pete Hiskey, a lifelong golfer, ministry leader, and passionate advocate for connecting faith and golf.Pete shares his multi-generational story in the game, from his family’s deep ties to the PGA Tour and his 24-year career with Ping Golf, to his calling to serve what he calls his “nation”—the golfers of the world. Together, they discuss the mission of Links Players, the legacy of the PGA Tour Chapel, and Pete’s newest venture, The Saltire House in St. Andrews, Scotland—a spiritual home for golfers from around the globe.This episode is a story of purpose and calling, showing how one man’s love for golf became a way to live out faith, mentorship, and community across the world.Key TopicsHow Pete Hiskey found his calling to reach the golf worldThe multi-generational Hiskey legacy in professional golfHow Links Players connects faith and community at local clubsThe history and impact of the PGA Tour ChapelWhat it means to live out the Great Commission in your own “nation”The vision behind The Saltire House in St. AndrewsMentorship and investing in the next generationFinding purpose and adventure in life’s second seasonBringing faith to the fairways—how golf connects people and GodResourcesLinks Players: https://linksplayers.comThe Saltire House: https://www.thesaltirehouse.orgTimestamps(0:00) Intro(10:32) Links Players and Community Building in Golf(15:41) The PGA Tour Chapel and Its Legacy(21:55) Defining Purpose and Mission in Golf and Life(26:11) Connecting Golf and Faith(29:57) Living Out the Great Commission(32:03) Embracing Life’s Second Season(36:13) Mentoring the Next Generation(36:58) The Saltire House: A New Venture(45:08) Golf Tips for All LevelsLove the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share!
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À propos de Links for Life

Golf is a microcosm of life. In the short hours we spend on the links, each shot challenges our focus and tests our emotions. When hitting that small, dimpled ball, we strive to stay present and to trust. Golf offers us the opportunity to grow physically, mentally, emotionally, and even spiritually. How often in casual conversations about the game have we heard someone say, "Golf is just like life!" And yet, we frequently miss the lessons that golf affords.Through golf, we learn to wrangle destructive emotions. We learn to stay present in the moment, letting go of the past and resisting the allure of projecting into an unknown future. In a round of golf, we have unrushed time to enjoy our favorite relationships with fewer distractions than everyday life. Golf is beautiful and challenging. Golf is play, and hard work. Golf shows us who we are and teaches us how to become better versions of ourselves. This is the "why" of Links for Life, a show that explores the intersection of golf, growth, and God. Tune in for inspiring and empowering episodes that explore the beauty of golf and how it can teach us to improve our daily lives. Join your host, Tommy Thompson, to discuss relationships, mindset, faith, leadership, and, at the same time, how to improve your golf game.In Links for Life, find out how the game of golf parallels the challenges you face along your journey, offering incredible mental strategies for personal growth while at the same time learning from the masters how to lower your handicap. Learn how to focus on the present, let go of past negativity, and free yourself of anxieties about the future. Get tips on overcoming nerves, improving your chipping and putting, and having more fun along the way.Tommy sits down with golfers at all levels who openly share their life experiences and how they use the game of golf in their everyday lives. Gather practical advice and inspiration from their stories to transform your life. Let their personal experiences and learned lessons guide you in elevating your beliefs, spirituality, and perspectives.Of course, golf isn't just about self-improvement. It also teaches you how to connect with others on a deeper level. Through these conversations, discover how this sport can help you build better relationships in all areas of your life. Find out how to create lasting connections with the people around you. Learn how to cultivate and appreciate relationships with the most important people in your life, helping you become a better spouse, parent, sibling, or friend. Your host, Tommy Thompson, has been a golfer for over five decades. He knows the game inside out and fully understands how it brings people together on a much deeper level. Beyond that, Tommy is also a professional life coach and business entrepreneur who has mentored countless executives and leaders, helping them achieve balance, fulfillment, and more significant impact. He also has a seminary degree and is the author of Space to Breathe Again: Hope for the Overloaded and Overwhelmed. Tommy is host of the sibling podcast Space for Life. Tommy's journey stands at the intersection of golf, personal growth, and a vital relationship with God, making him the best person to lead these thought-provoking conversations. Join Tommy in improving your scores, dissecting the intricacies of golf, and exploring its limitless links with human life. Listen to Links For Life at linksforlife.golf

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