Golfer Bubba Watson Says New Memoir Will Help Others Prioritize Their Mental Health

By Peyton Phillips November 8, 2021

Golfer Bubba Watson leaned on the people in his life to get through bouts of crippling anxiety, and he hopes that by opening up in his new memoir, he will be able to help others get through their struggles.

Bubba Watson hit rock bottom four years ago when he stepped onto the bathroom scale and saw the shocking number — the 6’3” golfer weighed just 162 pounds. This was a physical display of his crippling anxiety.

“Golf was killing me. I was letting my position on the money list, world rankings, and Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup standing eat at my soul,” he writes in the opening chapter of his memoir Up and Down.

Watson realized that he could not get through this himself — he knew he needed to open up to the people in his life and lean on others for support. Slowly but surely, the weight started to come back.

“I chose to make golf and life fun again. To live the life I wanted, not the life people expected me to live. Somewhere along the way, I began to accept that there is a bit of a pattern that connects my life and my performance on the golf course,” said Watson. “My best playing didn’t come back until I regained control of the fear and anxieties that were clouding my mind.”

Some of Watson’s most helpful tips include everything from cutting out chocolate cake, getting more sleep, working out on a regular basis and ensuring he stays hydrated. Even something as simple as pausing for ten seconds to take a deep breath has helped to regulate his stress levels.

Image source: Insider