“Maybe a Little Cigar”: Golf Fanatic Stephen Curry Channels His Inner Michael Jordan During ‘Miserable’ Days

During the off-season, Stephen Curry is often on the golf course. Well, even during the NBA Season, he spends a good amount of time swinging his club on the course. He belongs to the relatively small group of basketball players who play golf as a hobby. However, Curry’s connection to the game is much deeper. Growing up, he spent time with his father, Dell Curry, not just on the basketball court, but also on the golf course. While he worked towards embracing basketball as his future, Curry also grew obsessed with golf. So now, he often finds himself perfecting his swing or thinking about golf while draining threes on the hardwood.

With that said, the four-time champion recently revealed the kind of golfer he becomes after having a miserable round on the course.

Channeling the inner Michael Jordan

In a recent interview with Esquire, Curry revealed that a “miserable round” on the course depends on the time of the year. He stated that if he is having an off-day during the NBA off-season, then it can get frustrating. To handle an off day, a “refreshment” is crucial for Curry. In fact, the Dubs superstar likes to channelize his inner Michael Jordan to get his mind in the right place, “Maybe a little cigar out there”.

Jordan’s fascination for cigars is well-documented. As revealed in an article in GQ Magazine, His Airness found smoking a cigar helped him relax. Many times, he was also spotted smoking on the golf course. Much like Jordan, Curry feels refreshed and relaxed with a cigar after a terrible outing.

However, Michael Jordan’s love for cigars is on a different level completely. The Chicago Bulls legend used to smoke regularly before home games to calm his nerves. He even appeared for an extended interview with Marvin Shanken of Cigar Aficionado in 2017 to talk about his shared love for cigars.

Read More: Stephen Curry, Who Shares His Love for Golf With Michael Jordan, Promotes His New Tour in the ’GOAT’s NBA Home

However, the two-time MVP also stated that during the NBA season, he rarely has a bad day on the course. On the contrary, it is rather difficult to have a bad day. He said, “You’re just thankful that you can get to play face-to-face, get out and recharge.”

The contributions of Stephen Curry to golf

2022’s final MVP is not just helping basketball reach new heights. He is also focusing his efforts on making golf more accessible to the “underserved and underrepresented youth”. In 2019, Curry signed a partnership deal with Callaway, a golf equipment company. Together they have worked towards organizing events and launched programs that helped popularize and provide equal access to golf for all.

In 2023, the two signed an extension contract with the hope to create a bigger impact on golf. In a statement, Curry said, “I look forward to partnering with Callaway in the years to come with a commitment to benefitting young people of all different backgrounds.”

WATCH THIS STORY: Steph takes his love of golf to the next level.

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