January’s Tip of the Month: The Art of Staying Humble on the Golf Course & Embracing the Learner’s Mindset

BY RYAN WILLIAMS PLAYER DEVELOPMENT PROFESSIONAL

“It’s what you learn after you think you know it all that matters.” – Claude Harmon, Sr.

As we enter a new year, I’d like to begin 2025 with a moment of vulnerability. The ego is a funny thing, and in golf, it can be just as destructive as a bad swing. Winter, with its rainy days and fewer rounds, often becomes a natural time for reflection. It’s amazing how often I’ve had to relearn lessons that have little to do with my golf swing and everything to do with my ego—and ultimately, my personality. I’ve found myself in this cycle repeatedly over the years, and I’ve described it to my wife many times. Let me break it down for you:

For better or worse, my golf journey has followed a familiar pattern, which I like to visualize as a cycle It always begins with a period of solid play and a sense of satisfaction.

The game feels good, the scores are low, and enjoyment is high. But then, a fear begins to creep in—fear that this success will somehow slip away. Suddenly, I’m trying to hold on to the techniques and concepts that have worked for me like Sylvester Stallone clinging to a cliff in Cliffhanger—desperate not to fall. This inevitably leads to stress, overthinking, and an unhealthy attachment to those “successful” concepts. Unfortunately, in golf, this is like tightening your grip on a wet club—it only makes the game more difficult.

As the pressure builds, golf becomes less enjoyable. The rounds feel more like labor than leisure. Eventually, after enough frustration, I reach a point where I have no choice but to release the ego, let go of my old patterns, and admit that I’m not perfect. Only then, with humility, does the cycle start to shift. When I let go of control and embrace the learner’s mindset, it’s incredible how quickly both my skill and my overall enjoyment of the game improve. And sometimes, when I’m open to learning again, peak performances appear.

But here's the kicker: the minute I achieve success, my ego starts to creep back in, convincing me that I have it all figured out. And just like that, the cycle begins anew.

Fortunately, after years of experience, I’ve learned to recognize the warning signs earlier. I now understand that instead of giving up on golf altogether (as I did back in 2009, nearly walking away from my Division 1 college scholarship), I can take a step back, take a weekend off, and reset. I’ve learned how to shorten the “downward” parts of the cycle, gaining perspective before I let frustration take control. And I’m sure that many of you who play this great game can relate to this dynamic—not just in golf, but in other areas of life as well.

A wise man once told me that being a learner is key to mastery. Tommy Masters, who taught me how to play, remains one of the best coaches I’ve ever had. During a time when I was taking a break from the game, he sent me an email with some words I’ll never forget: "If we choose to be learners, then we can stay on the path toward mastery." To Tommy, being a learner wasn’t a casual choice. It required humility—a balance of confidence in what you believe to be true, but not so much that you are unwilling to be challenged and learn from new experiences.

Ironically, most students don’t reach out to a coach when things are going well—they call when they are at rock bottom, when their confidence is shattered, and their game feels like it's fallen apart. But this is often the best time to be a student. At rock bottom, you’re ready to listen. Your “cup” is empty, open, and receptive. Without the interference of your own ego, a coach’s words can find a way to break through and lead to improvement—often almost immediately.

This is where humility pays off.

So, the real question is: How can we maintain that ideal learner’s mindset, even after achieving success?

Key Principles to Maintain a Learner’s Mindset:

1. A Deep Understanding of What You Control

In golf, as in life, there are many things we simply cannot control. You can’t control the weather, the bounces, or the occasional bad break. But what you can control is your attitude, your commitment to your process, and how you react to challenges. Accepting this reality is a crucial step in keeping your ego in check.

2. A Focus on Process Over Results

Golf is a game of practice, patience, and perseverance. The most successful golfers know that the scorecard is secondary to the effort and attitude they bring to each round. Rather than obsessing over the final result, focus on the steps that will help you improve— your pre-shot routine, your mental approach, your swing mechanics. Results will follow naturally when you commit to the process.

3. Describing Results Without Judgment

One of the biggest traps golfers fall into is attaching judgment to their results. "Good" and "bad" shots are just labels. The key to improvement is being able to describe your shots objectively without emotional language. For example, instead of saying “I hit a terrible shot,” try, “I didn’t execute the shot as I intended, but here’s what I can learn from it.” By removing the emotional charge, you free yourself from the negative feedback loop that often comes with poor play.

The truth is, mastery in golf—just like in life—requires continuous learning and growth. And to grow, we need to remain humble, to be learners, and to recognize that every experience—whether it's a success or a failure—offers an opportunity for improvement.

As we enter the new year, I challenge you to embrace the learner’s mindset, to leave behind the grip of the ego, and to focus on the process rather than the outcome. And when you do, I have no doubt that your game will improve in ways you never expected.

Happy New Year, and happy learning!