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Links for Life

Links for Life

Written by: Tommy Thompson
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Golf is a microcosm of life. In the short hours we spend on the links, each shot challenges our focus and tests our emotions. When hitting that small, dimpled ball, we strive to stay present and to trust. Golf offers us the opportunity to grow physically, mentally, emotionally, and even spiritually. How often in casual conversations about the game have we heard someone say, "Golf is just like life!" And yet, we frequently miss the lessons that golf affords.

Through golf, we learn to wrangle destructive emotions. We learn to stay present in the moment, letting go of the past and resisting the allure of projecting into an unknown future. In a round of golf, we have unrushed time to enjoy our favorite relationships with fewer distractions than everyday life. Golf is beautiful and challenging. Golf is play, and hard work. Golf shows us who we are and teaches us how to become better versions of ourselves. This is the "why" of Links for Life, a show that explores the intersection of golf, growth, and God. Tune in for inspiring and empowering episodes that explore the beauty of golf and how it can teach us to improve our daily lives. Join your host, Tommy Thompson, to discuss relationships, mindset, faith, leadership, and, at the same time, how to improve your golf game.

In Links for Life, find out how the game of golf parallels the challenges you face along your journey, offering incredible mental strategies for personal growth while at the same time learning from the masters how to lower your handicap. Learn how to focus on the present, let go of past negativity, and free yourself of anxieties about the future. Get tips on overcoming nerves, improving your chipping and putting, and having more fun along the way.

Tommy sits down with golfers at all levels who openly share their life experiences and how they use the game of golf in their everyday lives. Gather practical advice and inspiration from their stories to transform your life. Let their personal experiences and learned lessons guide you in elevating your beliefs, spirituality, and perspectives.

Of course, golf isn't just about self-improvement. It also teaches you how to connect with others on a deeper level. Through these conversations, discover how this sport can help you build better relationships in all areas of your life. Find out how to create lasting connections with the people around you. Learn how to cultivate and appreciate relationships with the most important people in your life, helping you become a better spouse, parent, sibling, or friend.

Your host, Tommy Thompson, has been a golfer for over five decades. He knows the game inside out and fully understands how it brings people together on a much deeper level. Beyond that, Tommy is also a professional life coach and business entrepreneur who has mentored countless executives and leaders, helping them achieve balance, fulfillment, and more significant impact. He also has a seminary degree and is the author of Space to Breathe Again: Hope for the Overloaded and Overwhelmed. Tommy is host of the sibling podcast Space for Life. Tommy's journey stands at the intersection of golf, personal growth, and a vital relationship with God, making him the best person to lead these thought-provoking conversations.

Join Tommy in improving your scores, dissecting the intricacies of golf, and exploring its limitless links with human life.

Listen to Links For Life at linksforlife.golf

Copyright 2025 | All Rights Reserved | Golf
Episodes
  • 3x LPGA Champion Maggie Will on the Cost of Pursuing Excellence

    3x LPGA Champion Maggie Will on the Cost of Pursuing Excellence
    Jan 6 2026

    In this episode of Links for Life, host Tommy Thompson sits down with Maggie Will, a three time LPGA Tour winner, to talk about what excellence actually costs in golf and in life.


    Maggie shares her story of discovering golf at a young age, committing to the discipline required to reach the highest level, and learning how excellence evolves across different seasons. The conversation explores the difference between excellence and perfectionism, why self discipline matters more than external pressure, and how gratitude fuels passion over the long haul.


    This episode goes far beyond golf technique. It is a thoughtful conversation about growth, leadership, coaching, and choosing to live with intention in whatever arena matters most to you.


    Key Topics
    • The cost of pursuing excellence
    • Excellence versus perfectionism
    • Discipline and self discipline
    • Doing the extra over the ordinary
    • Gratitude as a source of motivation
    • Coaching and inspiring growth in others
    • Practicing under real conditions
    • Sustaining excellence through changing seasons


    (0:00) Intro and Maggie’s Story

    (8:59) The Cost of Pursuing Excellence

    (17:51) Excellence Versus Perfectionism

    (26:51) Discipline and Doing the Extra

    (39:13) Coaching and Motivating Others

    (50:05) Sustaining Excellence Over Time

    (1:00:00) Practical Golf Advice for Improvement
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    1 hr and 10 mins
  • First Tee Jitters, Managing Nerves, and Playing Through Pressure

    First Tee Jitters, Managing Nerves, and Playing Through Pressure
    Dec 30 2025

    First tee jitters are a shared experience for golfers at every level, yet many players don’t understand why they happen or how to handle them. In this episode of Links for Life, Tommy Thompson and Joe Wise explore the reality of first tee nerves, why they show up even in casual rounds, and why trying to eliminate them often makes things worse.


    Through personal stories—from casual rounds to tournament play—Tommy explains that nerves aren’t something to overcome, but something to play through. He introduces a simple framework centered on acknowledging nerves, slowing the body through intentional breathing, and giving extra attention to the think box before stepping into a normal, unchanged pre-shot routine. The episode emphasizes that managing nerves is about regulating the body, not overthinking the shot, and that first tee shots can actually become some of the best shots of the day when approached with clarity and consistency.


    Key Takeaways
    • First tee jitters happen to everyone, from beginners to experienced tournament players
    • Nerves often come from caring, wanting to do well, or trying to impress others
    • Trying to fight or eliminate nerves usually makes them stronger
    • Acknowledging nerves helps reduce their power
    • The goal is not to remove nerves, but to learn how to play through them
    • The think box is where extra time should be spent preparing the body, not overthinking the shot
    • Slowing your breathing helps calm tension, regulate tempo, and improve focus
    • Once you enter the play box, your pre-shot routine should stay exactly the same
    • Rushing to “get it over with” often leads to poor first tee shots
    • With proper preparation, first tee shots can be some of the most focused and solid shots of the round


    00:00 First Tee Jitters and Why They Happen

    02:59 Personal First Tee Stories and Early Golf Experiences

    05:50 The Psychology Behind Nerves and Performance

    09:12 Learning to Play Through Pressure

    12:07 Why You Shouldn’t Fight Nerves

    14:53 Breathing Techniques to Calm the Body

    17:51 The Think Box and Pre-Shot Preparation

    20:50 Why First Tee Shots Can Be Your Best Shots

    28:02 Final Thoughts on Managing Nerves and Letting It Fly



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    31 mins
  • Jose Alvarez on Pitching for the Atlanta Braves, the Pro Rivals Open, and Finding Purpose Through Faith

    Jose Alvarez on Pitching for the Atlanta Braves, the Pro Rivals Open, and Finding Purpose Through Faith
    Dec 16 2025

    Former Major League Baseball pitcher Jose Alvarez joins Links for Life to reflect on his journey from pitching for the Atlanta Braves to competing in elite events like the Pro Rivals Open and serving in golf ministry through Links Players International. After a 16 year professional baseball career, including multiple seasons in the MLB, Jose shares what success taught him and what it couldn’t, exploring identity beyond performance, the pursuit of lasting fulfillment, and how faith ultimately reshaped his sense of purpose. Through stories from professional sports, competitive golf, and decades of mentoring athletes, this conversation highlights how golf became a powerful avenue for meaningful relationships, spiritual growth, and life changing conversations on and off the course.


    Chapters

    00:00 The pursuit of happiness in sports

    03:03 From MLB pitching to golf and ministry

    05:53 Competing in the Pro Rivals Open

    09:12 Finding purpose beyond winning

    12:04 Faith and family as the foundation

    18:05 Forgiveness and overcoming adversity

    24:02 The illusion of success in professional sports

    30:02 Life lessons revealed through golf

    39:12 The Refresh Box and conversations on the course

    44:00 Identity beyond performance

    49:03 Links Players

    55:04 Golf tips, mindset, and faith in action


    Links Players - https://linksplayers.com


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    1 hr and 6 mins
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