In an era of instant gratification, true patience has become a superpower – especially in golf. Every top golfer knows that improvement is not linear and success is a long journey. World #1 Scottie Scheffler put it best when reflecting on his rise: “It was a long journey to become good at golf… You’re going to have ups and downs.” In other words, you can’t force progress or skip steps; you have to fall in love with the process of getting better. This was a revelation for Jake. He used to be extremely outcome-focused – every round was judged by the score alone, every practice needed to show immediate improvement. If he had a bad range session or a few lousy rounds, he’d get discouraged and tinker with everything, expecting a quick fix. Coach Price taught him to zoom out and embrace a longer view.

First, Jake started keeping a golf journal (yes, homework!). After each round or practice, he’d jot down what he did well, what he learned, and one thing to improve next time. It was less about the score and more about the journey of improvement. Over weeks, this habit showed him concrete evidence that he was making progress, even if day-to-day it felt like two steps forward, one step back. He also learned to celebrate small wins – a day of good tempo with the driver or a more confident mindset on the greens – regardless of whether he shot 75 or 85. As Coach Price reminded him (often): “Focus on doing the right things, and the results will follow.” This echoes what Scheffler’s coach taught: by committing to the process and staying patient, the results eventually take care of themselves.

Patience paid off for Jake in a big way. A few months into training his mental game, his scores hadn’t yet dropped dramatically, but he felt different on the course – calmer, more resilient. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, he shot his first round under par. That round was not a fluke; it was the cumulative payoff for many weeks of sticking to his routines and mental habits even when scores were mediocre. If he had judged his progress too soon, he might have quit the mental training, but by trusting the process, he broke through. This habit also transformed how he handles slumps. Instead of throwing up his hands after a rough patch, Jake now shrugs and says, “It’s all part of the journey – what can I learn from this dip?” That keeps his confidence intact so he can rebound faster.

Coach’s Tip:

Adopt a growth mindset. View each round as an opportunity to learn, not a verdict on your talent. Set process goals in addition to performance goals. For example, a process goal might be “stick to my routine on every shot today” or “stay positive no matter what.” These are within your control and build your skills. Keep a simple journal or notes in your phone after rounds: write one thing you did well and one thing to improve. Over time, you’ll see trends and feel progress that a score alone might hide. Remember that even the best have stretches where things don’t click – that doesn’t mean you’re back to square one. As long as you’re learning and not giving up, you’re getting better. Stay patient, trust that improvement is happening, and give yourself permission to enjoy the ride. In golf, as in life, success is a marathon, not a sprint.