Pro Golfer Boiled His Putter, Then Went Out and Went Nuclear

There are lots of golf superstitions out there, but what pro golfer William Mouw did over the weekend was one of the more extreme stories of a player trying to reverse his fortune - except, Mouw's actually worked!

Here's the backstory.

After shooting a 2-under 68 during the first round of the ISCO Championship, William Mouw was visibly frustrated with his putting. After all, he was the defending champion at the event, so he knew he could perform better - especially in the short game.

But instead of just grinding on the practice green or losing sleep over his performance, Mouw created a unique golf superstition that's sure to become a new trend amongst recreational players: He soaked his putter in boiling water!

Crazy Golf Superstition, or Something Worth Trying?

In the video above, William Mouw admitted that he literally soaked his putter in boiling water the night before Friday's second round at the ISCO Championship. Hours later, he carded a sizzling 7-under 63 - tied for the lowest round of the day.

"I put my putter in hot water last night and it stayed hot," Mouw said after his round. "I woke up with it hot out of the water and stayed hot all round. That was nice."

Coincidence? Probably. Great story? Absolutely.

During Round 1 of the event, Mouw ranked near the bottom of the field in strokes gained: putting. Frustrated, he joked with his caddie that the putter was "too cold" and needed to be warmed up. Then he actually followed through.

Whether it was science, superstition, or pure coincidence, the results were impossible to ignore.

Following the nuclear putting performance in Round 2, Mouw announced he'd be using his new golf superstition before Round 3, too. Unfortunately, it didn't have quite the impact, with the 25-year-old firing a 68 that day.

Is William Mouw Onto Something?

Sure, William Mouw may have seen success following his new golf superstition, but, unfortunately, boiling your putter has no scientific support for improving performance. That doesn't mean it didn't turn some heads once people found out about Mouw's quirky move - including his Round 2 playing partner, Lucas Glover.

According to Glover, he had no idea Mouw had given his flatstick the spa treatment.

"I thought it was a different putter," Glover joked afterward. "I've thrown a few and kicked a few and broke a few, but never boiled one… but he did, and it worked."

Golf has never been short on quirky superstitions or routines. Players wear "lucky" socks, refuse to change gloves during hot streaks, eat the same breakfast every tournament, and do other wild things - like soaking their golf balls - to avoid any chance of becoming cursed during a round.

While Mouw's boiling-water experiment might sound ridiculous, it fits perfectly into a sport where confidence often matters just as much as mechanics. And even though his new golf superstition worked for one day, it didn't stay hot throughout the weekend - as he finished in a tie for 10th.

That said, if your next foursome suddenly starts crowding around a pot of boiling water before a tee time, you can thank William Mouw for the new trend - because, hey, it may just end up saving you from 3-putting!

Craving more golf swing tips and golf instruction? Be sure to follow Nick Dimengo on Instagram, and subscribe to Rainmakers Golf on YouTube for more relatable swing advice to help your game improve.

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This story was originally published July 13, 2026 at 12:07 PM.