x
Skip to main content
Golf Logo
InsideGolf Join Now  / Log In
How Dustin Johnson approaches golf, in nine easy words
SHARE
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share by Email
Golf Logo
  • News
    • Latest
      • News
      • Features
      • Shows
      • PGA Tour Schedule
    • Series
      • Tour Confidential
      • Monday Finish
      • Hot Mic
      • Rogers Report
    • Shows
      • The Scoop
      • Subpar
      • Seen & Heard
  • Instruction
    • Game Improvement
      • Driving
      • Approach Shots
      • Bunker Shots
      • Short Game
      • Putting
      • Rules
      • Fitness
    • Series
      • Top 100 Teachers
      • Rules Guy
      • The Etiquetteist
      • Emergency 9
    • Shows
      • Warming Up
      • Play Smart
      • Short Game Chef
      • Pros Teaching Joes
  • Gear
    • Clubs
      • Drivers
      • Irons
      • Hybrids
      • Fairway Woods
      • Wedges
      • Putters
    • Other Gear
      • Balls
      • Shoes
      • Apparel
      • Golf Accessories
    • Series
      • ClubTest
      • Winner’s Bag
    • Shows
      • Fully Equipped
  • Travel & Lifestyle
    • Travel
      • Course Finder
      • Courses
      • Resorts
    • Lifestyle
      • Accessories
      • Celebrities
      • Food
      • Style
      • Betting Advice
    • Shows
      • Super Secrets
      • Destination Golf
  • Shop
    • Shop
      • Clubs
      • Shafts
      • Training Aids
      • Balls
      • Bags
      • Technology
      • Apparel
      • Accessories
      • Our Picks
      • Shop All
    • Collections
      • The GOLF Collection
      • The Birdie Juice Collection
      • The Fully Equipped Collection
      • Shop All
  • Newsletters
    • Sign Up for GOLF’s Newsletters
      • Hot Mic
      • Monday Finish
      • Play Smart
      • Our Picks
      • Top Stories
      • Sign Up for All
  • News
    • Latest News
    • Features
    • Shows
    • PGA Tour Schedule
  • Instruction
    • All Instruction
    • Driving
    • Approach Shots
    • Bunker Shots
    • Short Game
    • Putting
    • Rules
    • Fitness
  • Gear
    • All Gear
    • Drivers
    • Irons
    • Hybrids
    • Fairway Woods
    • Wedges
    • Putters
    • Balls
    • Shoes
    • Apparel
    • Golf Accessories
  • Travel & Lifestyle
    • All Travel
    • All Lifestyle
    • Course Finder
    • Courses
    • Resorts
    • Accessories
    • Celebrities
    • Food
    • Style
    • Betting Advice
  • Series
    • Tour Confidential
    • Monday Finish
    • Hot Mic
    • Rogers Report
    • Rules Guy
    • The Etiquetteist
    • Emergency 9
    • ClubTest
    • Winner’s Bag
  • Shows
    • The Scoop
    • Subpar
    • Seen & Heard
    • Warming Up
    • Play Smart
    • Short Game Chef
    • Pros Teaching Joes
    • Fully Equipped
    • Super Secrets
    • Destination Golf
  • Shop
    • Clubs
    • Shafts
    • Training Aids
    • Balls
    • Bags
    • Technology
    • Apparel
    • Accessories
    • The GOLF Collection
    • The Birdie Juice Collection
    • The Fully Equipped Collection
  • Newsletters
    • Hot Mic
    • Monday Finish
    • Play Smart
    • Top Stories
    • Our Picks
    • Sign Up for All
InsideGolf Join Now  / Log In
InsideGolf

Great for yourself...or your Dad

InsideGOLF
News

How Dustin Johnson approaches golf, in nine easy words

By: Nick Piastowski
  • Follow on Twitter
June 10, 2021
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share by Email
Dustin Johnson

Dustin Johnson hits his tee shot on Thursday on the 2nd hole at Congaree Golf Club.

Getty Images

Dustin Johnson, in his press conference ahead of this week’s Palmetto Championship, was asked five questions. He gave five answers. And that was that. A short and sweet 3 minutes and 35 seconds. 

“Dustin Johnson, master of the short press conference,” the moderator said.

“Love it,” he said, giving both a smile and a thumbs-up.

“My favorite,” he’d add, and he was out of his seat at the Congaree Golf Club before the camera had even stopped rolling.

Which brings us to Thursday. 

News
The clubhouse at Congaree.
Built by billionaires, Congaree has only 1 member but a grand purpose
By: Josh Berhow

Johnson shot a six-birdie, no-bogey 65, and he held at least a share of the lead for the most of the day until Wes Roach slid in late with a 64. The world No. 1 has been in a mild funk on the PGA Tour this year, but during this first round (which started on the back nine), he ran off seven straight looks at birdie from no farther than 11 feet.  

He was asked if that was one of the best stretches he’s had in a long time.

“I don’t know,” he answered. “I just hit shots. Wherever it goes, it goes. But, yeah, like I said, I was swinging good today, gave myself a lot of opportunities and hit some good putts. So I’m just pleased with the way I played.”

I just hit shots. Wherever it goes, it goes. Hundreds of thousands of wonderful words and sentences have broken down golf on this website. DJ just explained an approach in nine. Maybe it really was just a line to free him from another press conference. But maybe there’s more there. 

From the WGC-Workday Championship at the end of February, to his last event, the PGA Championship last month, Johnson finished no better than a tie for 13th (and missed two cuts) over seven tournaments. But in some shape or form during that stretch, he’d repeatedly say “I feel like it’s close” or “I feel like it’s getting better.” (He said both in his pre-tournament conference.) Now maybe we know why.

Short Game
‘It wasn’t glamorous’: Inside Dustin Johnson’s quest to fix his wedge game
By: Luke Kerr-Dineen

I just hit shots. Wherever it goes, it goes. 

Then came Thursday. After sitting out the past two weeks, Johnson started out with five straight pars, birdied 15 (his sixth hole), then played 18 through 6 like this: 18, approach shot to 9 feet and a birdie; 1, approach shot to 6 and a birdie; 2, approach shot to 11 feet and a par; 3, approach shot to 5 feet and a birdie; 4, approach shot to 10 feet and a par; 5, tee shot to 4 feet and a par; 6, approach shot to 4 feet and a birdie. He’d chip in on his final hole for another birdie. His 65 is his lowest round over his now eight tournaments since the end of February. 

Now maybe we know why here, too.  

I just hit shots. Wherever it goes, it goes. 

Bad stretch? I just hit shots. A 65? I just hit shots. 

And wherever it goes, it goes. 

“I feel like I’ve been playing well, just haven’t been scoring very good,” Johnson said. “The putting’s been off or it’s just like small little mistakes that you shouldn’t make, so, yeah, sometimes it’s taken a little bit of time away and kind of clearing my head and definitely it helps and putting in a lot of good work last week and I feel like I’m swinging good, so if I can keep the putter rolling it’s going to be a fun week.”

Latest In News

18 minutes ago

Bryson DeChambeau nearly makes bizarre U.S. Open rules gaffe

3 hours ago

What goes on inside a U.S. Open media center? | Rogers Report

4 hours ago

Oakmont's church pew bunker: The treacherous hazard explained

4 hours ago

2025 U.S. Open Friday tee times: Round 2 groupings

Nick Piastowski

Nick Piastowski

Golf.com Editor

Nick Piastowski is a Senior Editor at Golf.com and Golf Magazine. In his role, he is responsible for editing, writing and developing stories across the golf space. And when he’s not writing about ways to hit the golf ball farther and straighter, the Milwaukee native is probably playing the game, hitting the ball left, right and short, and drinking a cold beer to wash away his score. You can reach out to him about any of these topics — his stories, his game or his beers — at nick.piastowski@golf.com.

  • Author Twitter Account

Related Articles

News
Dustin Johnson and Greg Norman at LIV

What's a LIV Golf event *really* like? I spent 3 days at one to find out

By: Claire Rogers
News
dustin johnson

On Sunday, LIV Golf delivered the chaotic finish it has been promising

By: Sean Zak
Instruction
dustin johnson swing

Copy the 6 keys to Dustin Johnson's powerful swing

By: Zephyr Melton
News
Dustin Johnson walks at 2022 Open Championship

‘I don’t see the body of work going in’: Analyst questions Dustin Johnson preparation

By: Nick Piastowski
News
dustin johnson swings on 18 at st. andrews in 2022 open championship

Dustin Johnson had a hilarious reaction to his 18th-hole miscue at the Open

By: Zephyr Melton
Gear
Dustin Johnson watches an approach during the first round of the U.S. Open.

Small equipment tweaks paying off big for Dustin Johnson at Open Championship

By: Ryan Barath
News
Talor Gooch of the United States tees off on the 15th hole during Day Two of The 150th Open at St Andrews Old Course on July 15, 2022 in St Andrews, Scotland.

'Everybody, it feels like, is against us': LIV tension surfacing at Open Championship

By: Alan Bastable
Tournaments
dustin johnson

While you were sleeping Friday at The Open: LIV golfers making a move

By: Sean Zak
News
dustin johnson

LIV Golf: Here are the players who have joined the rival series

By: Sean Zak
Sign up for GOLF's Newsletters
Get the latest news, the hottest instruction tips, new product releases, golf media insider reports and more delivered directly to your inbox. Choose your favorites now.
Sign Up
Categories
  • News
  • Instruction
  • Gear
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
Services
  • Masthead
  • GOLF Media Kit
  • GOLF Magazine Customer Service
  • TERMS OF SERVICE
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • Opt-out of Ads/Sharing
  • Your Privacy Choices
Social
  • facebook
  • x
  • instagram
  • youtube
Membership
InsideGOLF Logo
More than $140 Value for JUST $39.99

INCLUDES 12 SRIXON Z-STAR XV GOLF BALLS, 1 YR OF GOLF MAGAZINE, $20 FAIRWAY JOCKEY CREDIT - AND MUCH MORE!

LEARN MORE

© 2025 EB Golf Media LLC. An 8AM Golf Affiliated Brand. All Rights Reserved. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. If you buy a linked product, GOLF.COM may earn a fee. Pricing may vary.

Go to mobile version