Stephen Curry is on a mission this summer. And no, it has nothing to do with a basketball. After missing last year’s American Century Championship because he was busy winning a gold medal with Team USA at the Paris Olympics, the Warriors superstar is heading back to the golf course in Lake Tahoe with something to prove: he’s not just there to play, he’s there to get his title back. And as a new video shows, he’s even getting some last-minute tips to make sure his swing is absolutely perfect.

The hype surrounding his return is real. He’s the co-favorite to win the whole thing, a title he captured in 2023 in the most dramatic fashion imaginable, with a stunning hole-in-one on Saturday and a walk-off eagle putt on the final hole to seal the victory. But this year, it’s personal. While he was away at the Olympics, his father, Dell, and his brother, Seth, were holding down the fort at Lake Tahoe, representing the Curry family name. And according to Seth, Steph is coming back with a purpose.

“It’s different being here with your dad and Steph’s not here,” Seth said on the Dubs Talk podcast during last year’s tournament. “Yeah, that is weird man, especially him winning the last year and not being able to be here and defend his title… We got a little group chat going, letting him know what’s going on… I’m sure he’ll be back next year with a vengeance.” That’s the family promise Steph is gearing up to fulfill.

And you could really see that competitive drive this week in a video shared by golf coach Alex Riggs. In the clip, Riggs is giving Steph a small but important adjustment on his posture and backswing, telling him to “find that endpoint on the top.” It’s a tiny technical fix, a problem that even the best athletes sometimes need a hand with. And the outcome? A flawless shot that made both of them laugh. “Never seen that one before,” Steph said, clearly impressed with how well he hit it.

And while Steph is clearly focused on his own game, a bit of friendly teasing from a certain Hall of Famer is only adding to his motivation. Last year, Charles Barkley playfully called Steph a “coward” for “ducking” him. “Can you believe he knew I was going to play my best round ever?” Barkley joked. “That’s why he’s going to use some lame lame excuse like the Olympics to duck me?”

It’s all in good fun, but for someone as competitive as Steph, you know that kind of talk just gives him an extra push. It really shows off the incredible work ethic that has made him a champion – a guy who’s never satisfied and is always looking for ways to get better, even when he’s on the golf course. The message is simple: Steph Curry is coming to Lake Tahoe, and he’s coming to win.

Steph Curry is using golf to change the game

For Stephen Curry, golf isn’t just something he does in his free time. He has become a real advocate for the sport, actively working to make the game more welcoming and available for younger players. And a perfect example of him taking on that role was clear this week. When his long-time rival, LeBron James, posted a video of himself trying to learn golf, Steph was quick to comment, writing, “Welcome. We’ve been waiting for you 🙌🏼.”

But his dedication to growing the game goes far beyond a quick social media comment. In 2022, he teamed up with golf personality Will Lowery to create the Underrated Golf Tour. This tour was specifically designed to “groom the next generation of golfers” and give chances to kids from diverse and often overlooked communities. It’s a full-on, season-long competition, with 96 athletes aged 13-18 playing in tournaments across the country for a shot at winning the “Curry Cup.”

Just this past week, the tour stopped at the famous Pete Dye Course in French Lick, Indiana, giving these young golfers an experience they won’t soon forget. “This course is unbelievable,” said one of the participants, Maleah Clark. “Every hole, I was just like, ‘wow.’”

For tour co-founder Will Lowery, that’s exactly the goal. “They have never been to a course like this, a course like that before,” he said. “That is how we know we are making a difference.” Another golfer, Koa Seymour, shared a similar feeling, saying, “It is awesome to be here and in this environment, and it is different from other tournaments from back home. There is more diversity here.”

This shows another side of Stephen Curry. He’s playing to open doors and change the face of golf. For 96 kids on his tour—and thousands more watching—he’s proving that the fairway has room for everyone.