Hello, Daily Duffer readers! Sarah Chen here, your golf instruction editor. I’ve spent over 15 years on the range, helping players from weekend warriors to tour professionals unlock their best golf. And one thing I’ve learned is that remarkable performance often comes from unwavering dedication, even when the road gets tough.
I was so inspired by the recent story of Rose Zhang. Here’s a player who won 12 times at Stanford, two NCAA Individual championships, the U.S. Women’s Amateur, the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, and even won her professional debut – a feat not seen in 72 years! Yet, she chose a path less traveled, prioritizing her education despite the demands of professional golf. Her journey speaks volumes about dedication, resilience, and the power of sticking to your process.
The Power of Process: Navigating Your Golf Journey
Rose Zhang’s decision to finish her degree while juggling a professional golf career meant making sacrifices and facing significant challenges, including neck spasms that sidelined her for two months and a period where her game wasn’t as sharp. Her perspective on this trying time offers a powerful lesson for all of us:
“I would say this year is the first time I really hit a hard struggle bus in my entire golf career,” Zhang said in Boston. “But I will say I think the success helps in that you know that it’s in you, but it also might hinder your look to the present and the future just because you expect way too much out of yourself in your circumstance. So I think I’m navigating that, and it’s helped me grow as a person and even as a player.”
What Rose is describing is something every golfer, regardless of skill level, encounters: the “struggle bus.” It’s that period when your game feels off, your scores aren’t what you expect, and frustration creeps in. It’s during these times that sticking to your process and focusing on the fundamentals becomes paramount. It’s easy to get caught up in the outcome – the birdies or bogeys – but true growth happens when you trust the journey.
Commitment to Fundamentals: The Rose Zhang Way
Rose’s commitment to her education gave her a new perspective, forcing her to be more intentional with her golf practice. This is a lesson we can all take to the course. When time is limited, every practice session needs to be purposeful.
“It’s as simple as sticking to the process and making sure you’re getting little bits of positivity in there. It’s something that’s kind of new to me, but I feel like I’ve been at a really good trajectory and I’ll be able to keep building from there.”
This quote highlights two critical components of improvement: sticking to the process and finding positivity. In golf, “sticking to the process” means focusing on your swing mechanics, your short game technique, your putting stroke, and your course management strategies. It means not abandoning what you know works just because of a few bad rounds.
It’s about understanding *why* certain techniques are effective. For instance, in putting, a consistent stroke path and face angle are crucial for starting the ball on line. If you’re struggling, don’t automatically assume you need a brand-new stroke. Instead, go back to basics, check your setup, grip, and tempo. Little bits of positivity come from small wins in practice – that perfectly struck chip, that put that rolled in, or a swing that felt perfectly balanced.
Actionable Drills: Building Your Resilience
Inspired by Rose’s dedication, here are a few drills focused on process and resilience that you can incorporate into your practice:
Drill 1: The “Purposeful 15”
Just like Rose had to maximize her golf time amidst a demanding academic schedule, you can make the most of limited practice time. This drill is about quality over quantity.
- **How to do it:** Choose one specific area of your game (e.g., bunker shots, 50-yard wedges, 5-foot putts). Dedicate a focused 15 minutes to *only* that skill. Don’t hit balls aimlessly. Before each shot, identify a clear target and a specific feeling or technical thought. After the shot, evaluate its success and the feeling.
- **Why it works:** This drill forces intentionality, helping you focus on the process of execution rather than just the outcome. It builds “positive bits” by allowing you to celebrate small improvements in a specific area.
Drill 2: The “Tempo & Balance Check”
When stress is high, whether from external pressures like Rose faced or simply a tough round, our tempo often speeds up, and our balance suffers. This drill helps re-establish those crucial elements.
- **How to do it:** On the range with a mid-iron, consciously slow down your backswing and transition. Feel your weight shift smoothly. After every shot, hold your finish for a full three seconds, completely balanced. If you wobble, you know your tempo and balance need more attention. Repeat this for 10-15 shots.
- **Why it works:** Good tempo and balance are foundations of a consistent swing. By intentionally slowing down and maintaining your finish, you develop a more stable and repeatable motion, even under pressure.
Drill 3: The “One-Foot Putting Drill”
Even the greatest putters lose their touch occasionally. This drill is a simple way to reconnect with your stroke and feel.
- **How to do it:** Place a golf ball one foot in front of a hole. Hit 10 putts, focusing only on hitting the ball perfectly in the center of the putter face and into the hole. Don’t worry about speed, just solid contact and direction. Then, move to two feet, then three feet, repeating the process.
- **Why it works:** This drill takes the pressure off making long putts and instead focuses on the fundamental mechanics: square contact and starting the ball on line. It builds confidence and teaches you to trust your stroke from short range, which translates to longer putts.
Embracing the Journey
Rose Zhang’s story is a powerful reminder that “success helps in that you know that it’s in you.” You already possess the ability to improve, to hit great shots, and to enjoy this game. It’s about nurturing that ability with dedication and a positive mindset. Even when things get incredibly challenging, as Rose discovered:
“It was important to keep the faith [that] this is a journey, and this is how I’m supposed to grow and learn. That’s kind of how I was able to come to this end.”
I tell my students all the time that golf is a marathon, not a sprint. There will be good days and bad days, easy swings and frustrating shanks. But with every practice session, every round, and every challenge overcome, you are growing as a golfer and as a person. So, embrace the journey, stick to your process, find those “little bits of positivity,” and trust that you have what it takes to reach your golfing goals.
Happy golfing!
Sarah Chen
PGA Certified Teaching Professional
Golf Instruction Editor, The Daily Duffer
