In the last few years, the CBD market has found an unexpected audience: pro golfers. 

Stars of the sport like Bubba Watson and Scott McCarron have spoken openly about how CBD has helped them up their golf game. After the 2019 Masters tournament, rumors started to spread around two other longtime pros–Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson (ever heard of them?)– when Woods was seen chewing gum and Mickelson taking oil from a tincture.

Golf stars Bubba Watson and Scott McCarron have spoken openly about how CBD has helped them up their golf game.

The growing appreciation began coming to the surface soon after the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), an organization the PGA uses to fight against drug use in the sport, removed CBD from its banned substance list in 2018. Lots of players had heard the hype around CBD and decided to give it a go.

But can CBD really up your golf game? 

While no official studies exist yet, the multitude of positive stories suggest that it can, especially when it comes to pain management and relaxation. 

Improving Pain Management

It’s no secret that loving the game comes with a price. 

Golfers often experience pain in their back, joints, and neck. Leaning over a club or taking a swing doesn’t exactly bring relief, but quitting just ain’t an option either. 

So what do you do?

Revre’s founder, Rob, experienced this struggle himself a few years ago. Herniated disks kept him off the course for too long before a friend introduced him to CBD. That’s actually what inspired him to create our topical sports cream.

But Rob’s not the only golfer who has experienced this kind of pain relief from CBD.

Bubba Watson said in an interview with CNN that he first tried CBD because he thought managing his pain would give him energy for his kids and “create longevity in the game of golf.” The two-time Masters champ wanted to stay competitive regardless of his age. So after having a team of medical professionals look into it, he gave it a shot and liked the results. “CBD was easily a fit for me,” he says.  

“For me it was about how I create longevity in the game of golf and spending time with my kids running around. CBD was easily a fit for me.” – Bubba Watson

Helping You Relax

Other golfers have spoken about the relaxation benefits of CBD including better sleep and reduced anxiety out on the course. 

Scott McCarron, a CBD trailblazer in the pro golf world, told ESPN that he started getting incredible sleep as soon as he began taking CBD oil. 

Like many pro athletes, McCarron measures his sleep with a fancy device called a WHOOP strap. After taking CBD for the first time, he says “I had sleep in the green, which is fantastic sleep, for seven days straight.”

In another interview, McCarron says that taking CBD before golfing made him “a little calmer on the golf course.” For the amateur golfer, the hobbyist, or the weekend warrior, alcohol has long been the go to to get the jitters out, but McCarron thinks a more natural solution can have better long term effects than the ole swing lube.

“If we could educate people about the benefits of taking CBD oil before you play, it will take away some of that anxiousness on the golf course and you won’t have to drink,” he said. “I think it will help a lot of people out there and it will help their golf games.”  

A Cautionary Warning

The biggest pushback towards CBD comes from its novelty. Like any supplement, CBD is not regulated by the FDA and that (rightly) raises some eyebrows. 

To put it frankly, there’s a lot of folks out there trying to jump on the trend with no interest in creating or selling a truly helpful product. 

The PGA recognized this danger after CBD was dropped from the banned substance list. The association sent a warning to all players in 2019 stating that “the FDA, DEA and private organizations including Major League Baseball (MLB), have conducted tests on CBD and “THC-free” products only to find significant levels of psychoactive (and prohibited) THC or falsely labeled amounts of CBD.”

We won’t lie to you. They’re right. These companies do exist. 

That’s why it’s crucial that you do some research before you buy. Don’t trust every bottle you find. Look into a company’s purity report before you buy. If you can’t find one, you should probably take your money elsewhere, honestly. It’s not worth the risk, especially if you’re in a context where a failed drug test could jeopardize your career. 

Download Our Purity Report

Once you find a trustworthy brand, another piece of advice would be sticking with CBD isolate and broad-spectrum solutions as opposed to full-spectrum. The former have no THC, which means they pose no threat in you failing a drug test. That’s one of the reasons you won’t find any full-spectrum offerings in our products. We want to eliminate any risks we can so you can get the relief you need without fear of failing a drug test.

So, we come back to our original question: can CBD really improve your golfing?

If you’re like this guy, then probably not.

You’re better off taking some lessons. 

BUT if your problem has more to do with managing pain or relaxation, then you may be in luck. Lots of players, from the top pros to amateurs, have experienced positive results from CBD. 

Maybe it’s worth the shot?