--- title: A Stroke of Luck description: Is golf a game of skill or luck—or both? 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[British Open (3)](https://blog.lostgolfballs.com/topic/british-open) - [FedEx Championship (3)](https://blog.lostgolfballs.com/topic/fedex-championship) - [Masters 2018 (3)](https://blog.lostgolfballs.com/topic/masters-2018) - [The Masters (3)](https://blog.lostgolfballs.com/topic/the-masters) - [2019 Players Championship (1)](https://blog.lostgolfballs.com/topic/2019-players-championship) - [Bridgestone (1)](https://blog.lostgolfballs.com/topic/bridgestone) - [LIV Golf (1)](https://blog.lostgolfballs.com/topic/liv-golf) see all - - - [All Posts](https://blog.lostgolfballs.com) # A Stroke of Luck - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) A ladybug on your golf club, a four-leaf clover in the rough, and a horseshoe-shaped green. Would you take these as signs of good things to come on the course? How much luck is there *really* behind these [5 incredible shots](https://blog.lostgolfballs.com/five-incredible-golf-shots-you-need-to-see) ![Whistling-Straits-Hole-18](https://blog.lostgolfballs.com/hs-fs/hub/313908/file-2495646880.jpg?width=600&name=file-2495646880.jpg) Image Source: [http://breakingeighty.com](http://breakingeighty.com/whistling-straits) You may have a “lucky” club, listen to the same songs on your way to a round, or keep a lucky charm in your golf pants pocket. As in almost all sports, there are rituals and superstitions in the world of golf that just might have you feeling lucky. **How to Get Luck on Your Side** Be careful; you could be channeling misfortune before you even take a swing! According to tradition, it starts with your equipment. For example, it’s bad luck to change your mind and go for another club if you have already taken one out of your bag. Likewise, white tees can be bad luck because they look like out-of-bound stakes. And don’t even *think* about using a red tee: the color red can be a symbol of failure. (Don’t worry, we have a variety of other [colored tees available](http://www.lostgolfballs.com/Tees-Gloves-s/417.htm).) Just to be safe, it might be a good idea to play with a non-white ball as well. Better to pick one from the [rainbow of colored balls](https://blog.lostgolfballs.com/with-flying-colors) out there. Pay attention to the number too, not just the color. A #3 ball will improve your chances of a birdie and a #1 an ace. A ball with a low number will, of course, result in a low number of shots. Even ball markings, from smiley faces to stars, are thought by some to have an effect on the outcome of a round.    When it comes to the actual gameplay, some golfers believe that starting a round before noon is bad luck. They also say to always line up the number on the ball with the hole, and never introduce a new ball halfway through a round. Moreover, it’s not a good idea to carry a spare ball in your pocket; it can set you up to lose the one you’re using! Finally, tap the cup with the ball as you take it out of a hole for better luck in sinking another one. **Lucky Stars?**  If you’re hoping the good luck of the professionals can rub off on you, read ahead. [Tiger Woods](http://www.tigerwoods.com/home) famously wears a red shirt for the final round of a tournament—ever since 1996. Why? Because his mother told him to. According to her, it’s his “power color”. [Rickie Fowler](http://www.rickiefowler.com/) wears orange from head to toe on the final day of his events, and [Lee Trevino](http://www.pgatour.com/players/player.02213.lee-trevino.html) never uses yellow tees because he believes yellow is the color of cowardice.  ![fowlerorange](https://blog.lostgolfballs.com/hs-fs/hub/313908/file-2495541310.jpg?width=265&name=file-2495541310.jpg) Image Source:[http://www.rightonpar.com](http://www.rightonpar.com/2012/01/24/rickie-fowler-joins-cobra-golf/) Oddly enough, to increase his odds, 18-time major championship winner [Jack Nicklaus](http://www.nicklaus.com/) would never use his own tees on par 3’s— he’d always *find* one to use (we knew finding golf gear was the way to go!). He also always kept three coins in his pocket. Talk about a lucky penny. **Can your luck run out?** Former world #1 [Ernie Els](http://ernieels.com/) throws away his ball after a birdie because he believes all balls can only have one birdie. That’s right, he believes that all their luck has been used up. That means as a result of his 259 birdies last year, he threw out just as many balls! It’s a rule of thumb to never use a found ball on the same round it was found on. And while we don’t believe that all the magic has been used up in our [Lost Golf Balls](http://www.lostgolfballs.com/) just yet, we do believe they were found for a reason. Good luck! Is golf a game of skill or luck—or both? The world of golf has its own rituals and superstitions, even the professionals believe. Don’t leave your golf ball up to chance! Leave it to [Lost Golf Balls](http://www.lostgolfballs.com/).   ![LostGolfBalls.com](https://blog.lostgolfballs.com/hubfs/Lostgolfballs.jpg) ###### LostGolfBalls.com ![](https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/2029673/Assets/Search_Image.png) - Recent - Popular - Categories ### Lists by Topic - [PGA Events (344)](https://blog.lostgolfballs.com/topic/pga-events) - [Golf (330)](https://blog.lostgolfballs.com/topic/golf) - [Golf Trends (314)](https://blog.lostgolfballs.com/topic/golf-trends) - [Golf Makes the World Go Round (195)](https://blog.lostgolfballs.com/topic/golf-makes-the-world-go-round) - [Golf Balls (93)](https://blog.lostgolfballs.com/topic/golf-balls) - [On the Course (89)](https://blog.lostgolfballs.com/topic/on-the-course) - [PGA Championship (55)](https://blog.lostgolfballs.com/topic/pga-championship) - [Improving Your Game (44)](https://blog.lostgolfballs.com/topic/improving-your-game) - [Golf Ball Manufacturers (31)](https://blog.lostgolfballs.com/topic/golf-ball-manufacturers) - [Golf Courses (17)](https://blog.lostgolfballs.com/topic/golf-courses) - [LPGA (15)](https://blog.lostgolfballs.com/topic/lpga) - [Golf Betting (12)](https://blog.lostgolfballs.com/topic/golf-betting) - [Best Ball For You (9)](https://blog.lostgolfballs.com/topic/best-ball-for-you) - [U.S. Open (6)](https://blog.lostgolfballs.com/topic/u-s-open) - [Ryder Cup (4)](https://blog.lostgolfballs.com/topic/ryder-cup) - [British Open (3)](https://blog.lostgolfballs.com/topic/british-open) - [FedEx Championship (3)](https://blog.lostgolfballs.com/topic/fedex-championship) - [Masters 2018 (3)](https://blog.lostgolfballs.com/topic/masters-2018) - [The Masters (3)](https://blog.lostgolfballs.com/topic/the-masters) - [2019 Players Championship (1)](https://blog.lostgolfballs.com/topic/2019-players-championship) - [Bridgestone (1)](https://blog.lostgolfballs.com/topic/bridgestone) - [LIV Golf (1)](https://blog.lostgolfballs.com/topic/liv-golf) see all [Tweets by TwitterDev](https://twitter.com/lostgolfballs) **Subscribe and Get The Latest News** ## Related Posts ### [Stenson feeling no pressure now in his career](https://blog.lostgolfballs.com/stenson-feeling-no-pressure-now-in-his-career) Sweden’s Henrik Stenson (Titleist Pro V1x) is back on the course after spending more than eight months on the sidelines due to health issues and career-related suspensions. - [Perry Lefko](https://blog.lostgolfballs.com/author/perry-lefko) - 3 min read - 27 Oct,2026 ### [Zalatoris' Continued Back are Painfully Sad](https://blog.lostgolfballs.com/zalatoris-continued-back-are-painfully-sad) I truly feel bad for Will Zalatoris (Titleist Pro V1x) who will need spinal-fusion surgery to repair his back and will be sidelined for at all of 2027. This will be his third major back surgery since 2023. Zalatoris is only 30, far too young to have chronic back issues that have put his golf career on hold and potentially affect his quality of life. - [Perry Lefko](https://blog.lostgolfballs.com/author/perry-lefko) - 4 min read - 24 Oct,2026 ### [Richard Zokol Has the Book on Mental Preparation for Golfers](https://blog.lostgolfballs.com/richard-zokol-has-the-book-on-mental-preparation-for-golfers) The other day I was listening to a golf show and Richard Zokol was talking about a book he has written: Zokology: Change Your Perspective Not Your Swing, How I Competed and Won on the PGA Tour by Changing the Way I Thought. For those of you who don’t recall Zokol, he played off and on in the PGA Tour from 1982 through to 2003. He won only once on the PGA event—though some players can’t even say that—the Greater Milwaukee Open in 1992. - [Perry Lefko](https://blog.lostgolfballs.com/author/perry-lefko) - 6 min read - 15 Oct,2026 ### Subscribe to Email Updates [![](https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/3842749/Logo/Growth_-logo.svg)](https://palmspire-3842749.hs-sites.com/growth-home-1) We help companies and marketers save time and generate more leads via drag and drop HubSpot COS conversion focussed templates. ##### Features ##### About Us ##### Company © Copyright 2017-18 SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER - - - - - About Us - [LGB Story](https://www.lostgolfballs.com/aboutus) - [Press Room](https://www.lostgolfballs.com/pressroom) - [Why Used](https://www.lostgolfballs.com/whyused) Support - [Contact Us](https://www.lostgolfballs.com/contacts) - [Shipping Policy](https://www.lostgolfballs.com/shipping) - [Return Policy](https://www.lostgolfballs.com/returns) - [FAQs](https://www.lostgolfballs.com/faqs) Explore - [Best Ball For You](https://info.lostgolfballs.com/whats-the-best-ball-for-you) - [Blog](https://blog.lostgolfballs.com/) - [Golf Tips](https://www.lostgolfballs.com/golftips) - [Grading Scale](https://www.lostgolfballs.com/gradingscale) Wholesale - [Selling Golf Balls](https://www.lostgolfballs.com/We-Buy) - [Bulk Orders](https://info.lostgolfballs.com/wholesale-golf-balls-lostgolfballs) - [School Orders](https://info.lostgolfballs.com/school-orders) Browse - [ProV1/ProV1x](https://www.lostgolfballs.com/golf-balls/brands/pro-v1.html) - [Titleist](https://www.lostgolfballs.com/golf-balls/brands/titleist.html) - [Bridgestone](https://www.lostgolfballs.com/golf-balls/brands/bridgestone.html) - [Callaway](https://www.lostgolfballs.com/golf-balls/brands/callaway.html) - [Nike](https://www.lostgolfballs.com/golf-balls/brands/nike.html) - [Srixon](https://www.lostgolfballs.com/golf-balls/brands/srixon.html) - [Taylormade](https://www.lostgolfballs.com/golf-balls/brands/taylormade.html) - [Refinished](https://www.lostgolfballs.com/golf-balls/quality/refinished.html) - [Deals](https://www.lostgolfballs.com/deals.html) - [Accessories](https://www.lostgolfballs.com/golf-accessories.html) Copyright © 2020 www.Lostgolfballs.com • All Rights Reserved. - [Terms And Conditions](https://www.lostgolfballs.com/termsandconditions) - [Privacy Policy](https://www.lostgolfballs.com/privacy-notice) - [Ad And Cookie Policy](https://www.lostgolfballs.com/ad-and-cookie-policy) - [Sitemap](https://www.lostgolfballs.com/catalog/seo_sitemap/category) California: - [Your Privacy Rights](https://www.lostgolfballs.com/privacy-notice) - [Do Not Sell My Info](https://www.lostgolfballs.com/do-not-sell-my-info)