Trigger and Tee: The Surprising Parallels Between Golf and IPSC

As I finish up my first round of golf of the season, the crisp sound of the club striking the ball lingers in my mind, a melody of precision and rhythm. The sun is dipping low, casting long shadows across the green, and I find myself reflecting on the curious parallels between the game I’ve just played and another passion of mine: IPSC shooting. At first glance, the two couldn’t be more different—a serene walk under the open sky versus an adrenaline-fueled sprint against the clock. Yet, as I replay the day’s strokes in my head, I realize these activities share more than meets the eye.

Many people are intrigued by my passion for IPSC—it’s a rather obscure sport that doesn’t get much publicity, especially here in Canada. At first glance, it looks chaotic, loud, and hyper-technical. But as someone who’s literally been playing golf for almost 40 years, it’s actually easy for me to paint a picture of what IPSC really is… because in so many ways, it’s just like golf.

At face value, they seem like polar opposites—one is a quiet walk in the park, the other a race against time with a gun in your hand. But dig a little deeper, and you’ll find two sports built on the same foundation: focus, discipline, and control under pressure.

1. It’s You vs. You

Both sports are battles against yourself. There’s no defense, no team to rely on. It’s your swing or your draw, your focus or your flinch. In both golf and IPSC, you carry your own scoreboard—and the real competition lives between your ears.

2. Routine is Everything

Ever watch a golfer step up to the tee box? Same practice swings. Same breath. Same setup. IPSC is no different. From your stage plan to your draw stroke, the best shooters build a repeatable routine. Consistency isn’t luck—it’s habit.

3. Mental Reset is Key

One bad hole. One bad stage. If you carry it with you, the day is lost. Both sports demand the ability to reset—right now. No excuses, no replays, just the next shot. In golf, they call it a “short memory.” In IPSC, it’s called survival.

4. The Swing vs. The Draw

In golf, your swing is everything. In IPSC, it’s your draw and presentation. Both are deeply ingrained, built over thousands of reps, and fall apart if overthought. You don’t try to do them—you train until they happen on autopilot.

5. Pressure is the Real Opponent

Whether it’s draining a birdie putt to win a club championship or executing a perfect reload under time, pressure is the great equalizer. And the only way to prepare for it is to put yourself in it. Repeatedly. Intentionally. That’s where growth happens.

6. The Format: Shot by Shot, Stage by Stage

This is where the parallel really comes to life.

An IPSC match is like a round of golf—a curated experience across multiple stages or “holes,” each uniquely designed. No two stages are alike, just like no two golf holes play the same. Terrain changes, target layouts shift, challenges vary.

In golf, you get minutes between swings—you walk, think, reset.  In IPSC, you get milliseconds between decisions—you move, reload, and engage in one fluid string. The rhythm is different, but the cognitive process is remarkably similar: visualize, commit, execute.  Both demand that you adapt to new problems every time you step up—whether it’s a long par five or a no-shoot positioned just off center.

The Bottom Line

Golf and IPSC aren’t just games of precision—they’re games of control. Of mind, of movement, and of moment. And while the tools may be different, the path to mastery looks a lot the same.

Whether you’re holding a putter or a pistol, it’s all about the next shot.