Phil Mickelson Had a Weird Superstition, His Longtime Caddie Once Revealed
PLYMOUTH, MI - AUGUST 23: Phil Mickelson drives the ball off the tee box during round two of the LIV Golf Team Championship Michigan at The Cardinal at Saint John s Resort in Plymouth, MI on August 23, 2025. Photo by Joseph Weiser/Icon Sportswire GOLF: AUG 23 LIV Golf Team Championship Michigan EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon25082326
PLYMOUTH, MI - AUGUST 23: Phil Mickelson drives the ball off the tee box during round two of the LIV Golf Team Championship Michigan at The Cardinal at Saint John s Resort in Plymouth, MI on August 23, 2025. Photo by Joseph Weiser/Icon Sportswire GOLF: AUG 23 LIV Golf Team Championship Michigan EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon25082326
Phil Mickelson spent years avoiding a particular number on the golf course. One playoff, however, forced the six-time major champion to break that rule.
Mickelson once had a strong superstition about avoiding the number two on golf balls. According to his former caddie Jim "Bones" Mackay, he refused to use balls marked with that number for years. However, during one tournament playoff, the only balls available happened to be marked with the number he avoided.
“He won the playoff, and for the next 10 years, I’d give him a two whenever we needed something good. It went from something he absolutely stayed away from to something he completely embraced,” Mackay said in a video posted on the Rick Shiels Golf Facebook page in 2025.
During the 1994 Tournament of Champions, Mickelson entered a playoff against Fred Couples after the final round. Needing a fresh ball, Mackay went to the locker. The only balls available were marked number two.
He used one anyway and won the playoff. The result changed his outlook. From that point forward, the number he once avoided became the one he turned to in key moments.
The story raises a simple question: do the numbers on a golf ball actually mean anything?
What the Numbers on Golf Balls Actually Mean
Several golfers tend to use the same model and brand of golf balls on the course. The numbers printed on them mainly help players identify their ball during play.
Manufacturers typically package balls in sets with numbers 1 through 4, though some brands also produce higher-numbered versions like 5, 6, 7, or 8. A player may use a ball marked 1, while another could use a different numbered ball. This helps reduce confusion during a round.
To recognize their balls a bit more easily, players can also add their own marks using a pen or alignment tool. Markings such as initials, lines, or small symbols help prevent hitting the wrong one, which can lead to a penalty under the rules.
So while Mickelson’s number two story became a superstition for him, the number itself has no impact on performance.
Do you follow any superstition when playing sports or in daily life? Share yours in the comments below.
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Written by
Aditi Singh
Edited by
Pulkit Prabhav