Photo by Josh Smith on Unsplash Golf's physical health benefits are well documented — walking 18 holes burns 1,500+ calories, the twisting swing builds rotational strength, and fresh air and sunlight provide vitamin D. But the mental health dimensions of golf are equally compelling and underappreciated. For millions of players worldwide, golf is as much a mental wellness practice as a sport. Here's what the research and experience of regular golfers tells us. Mindfulness Without Calling It Mindfulness Golf demands moment-to-moment presence in a way that few activities can replicate. A full round of golf contains 70–100 moments where you must be completely focused on a single task — this shot, right now, with this club. The architecture of the game forces you out of past shots and future worries because inattention produces immediate consequences. This is functionally identical to mindfulness meditation practice. You're not allowed to ruminate about your bad drive on hole 3...
The 2018 US Open at Shinnecock Hills was a championship that will be remembered for two things: Brooks Koepka's extraordinary performance in successfully defending his US Open title, and a Sunday that descended into controversy as the course conditions became so severe that multiple balls moved on their own on putting surfaces. It is one of the most dramatic and discussed US Opens in recent history — and a perfect preview of what 2026 may hold.
Koepka's Defense
Koepka arrived at Shinnecock Hills as the defending champion from Erin Hills in 2017 and proceeded to play some of the most precise, controlled golf seen at a US Open in years. His final score of one over par was the result of a performance that accepted Shinnecock's demands and executed within them, round after round. The margin of one stroke over Tommy Fleetwood does not capture how dominant Koepka was for most of the championship — he led by four shots entering the final round before Shinnecock's Sunday conditions created chaos throughout the field.
The Controversial Sunday
Sunday's final round at Shinnecock Hills in 2018 generated genuine controversy. The greens firmed and dried to the point where balls were rolling off putting surfaces without any player touching them. Phil Mickelson famously struck a moving ball on the 13th green — a two-stroke penalty violation — after his putt rolled past the hole and continued toward the edge of the green. The USGA was criticized for allowing conditions to deteriorate beyond what was reasonable for competitive golf. The episode led to conversations about the limits of US Open difficulty that continue to influence how the championship is set up.
Tommy Fleetwood's Near Miss
Tommy Fleetwood shot 63 in the final round at Shinnecock Hills in 2018 — the lowest final round score in US Open history. His 63, played in the same difficult conditions that were generating controversy elsewhere on the course, was one of the great individual performances in major championship history. It was not enough to catch Koepka, who managed his lead with characteristic composure to win by one. Fleetwood's 63 remains a record that stands as a reminder of what extraordinary golf looks like even at the most demanding major championship venues.
What 2026 Takes From 2018
The USGA will approach Shinnecock Hills in 2026 with the memory of 2018 specifically in mind. The challenge of managing a links-style course in June heat and wind while maintaining fair and competitive playing conditions is one the organization has learned from. Expect more conservative green preparations — the USGA will not want a repeat of the controversy that Sunday in 2018 created. But Shinnecock will still be Shinnecock: demanding, wind-affected, and genuinely difficult in ways that separate the best from the rest.
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