Steph Curry and Andre Iguodala Played Golf After Game 3 Loss to Memphis

About a week ago, the Warriors found themselves in a 2-1 hole against the Grizzlies. Stephen Curry had played poorly—by his standards—in the first three games of the Western Conference Semifinals.

So how did he get right? Steph hit the links with Andre Iguodala. The pair played 18 holes of golf at a local golf course in Memphis, using rented clubs.

Golden State won Games 4, 5 and 6 after that golf outing, with Steph catching MVP-level fire to finish off the Grizzlies, 4-2.

More details on the golf trip, from Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News:

The Warriors saved their season in many separate ways last week, in many separate places, and the Mirimichi Golf Course outside Memphis was most definitely one of them.

 

That’s where Stephen Curry and Andre Iguodala headed for 18 holes on the day after their staggering Game 3 loss and before their Game 4 revival.

 

And that’s exactly what coach Steve Kerr wanted for these two essential players when he canceled practice—to get away from the hotel, to do what they enjoy, and to avoid grinding over the series details for a few hours.

 

“Yeah, it’s therapeutic for sure,” Curry said Sunday of the mid-series golf excursion.

 

“Standing over a golf ball, you’re not thinking about the shots you missed or the defensive errors you made, turnovers, all that kind of stuff.”

 

Maybe the golf wasn’t overly pretty—Curry pointedly noted they were playing with rented clubs—but it was a perfect summation of this team’s over-riding calm and of the MVP’s reasoned approach to high pressure.

 

Curry had consecutive horrid three-point shooting games (a combined 4 for 21 in the consecutive losses) and the Warriors were down 2-1 in the series; when Kerr told his players during breakfast that they’d be free after a long film session, Curry knew what was coming next.

 

The golf course. Some competition with Iguodala and two team staffers. Firing at the flag, not the basket.

 

So Curry Googled golf courses in Memphis, found Mirimichi (renovated and formerly owned by Justin Timberlake) nearby, and out they went.

 

“It’s just about enjoying the company that you’re with,” Curry said. “Golf’s funny, because it’s challenging itself at the same time.

 

“But to get away, it’s kind of a nice haven out there, wherever you play, just to be able to relax and have a good time.”

 

Kerr, of course, is an avid golfer, and loved hearing that Curry and Iguodala were hitting the links last week.