Nothing but just 8 crucial words… “Just be the best golfer you can be,” a voice echoes in Richard Bland’s ears as he continues to climb to an unimaginable career peak. In one’s darkest times, positive affirmations act like a life jacket. This reaffirming advice by Bland’s psychologist when he was undergoing a rough patch in life is what has stuck with him till today. From going through probably one of the longest winning droughts in golf history to making a resurgence as one of its fine gems, Bland has come a long way, all thanks to these golden words that make perseverance his strong suit.

The oldest member of Cleeks GC can attest that perseverance is the key to success. Richard Bland’s back-to-back major wins on the PGA Tour Champions, his current standing as 25th on LIV Golf’s individual leaderboard, and his team standing of 7th on the circuit’s charts are all apt examples of the effects of a never-give-up attitude and a go-getter mindset. What makes Bland stand out from the crowd is his honesty. Even though he admittedly ditched the “moral high ground” in an attempt to lure in more money by joining LIV Golf, his honesty is admirable.

Talking about his honest motto on the course, Richard Bland told Jerry Foltz and Su-Ann Heng in the Fairway to Heaven podcast, “I had my head up my a** where I was getting it in the neck emails. And he said, like, just turn your phone off. He said, Just do one thing for me for the next five hours: just be the best golfer you can be. Just forget everything else. There is nothing that can happen. No one can get to you; no one can write you an email; no one can say you need this; we need to do that. And that kind of sticks… But that sort of quote sticks with me quite a lot. And still does today. You know, right? Just be the best golfer you can be. I think if you just keep doing that enough, that just becomes your default setting, basically.”

The 51-year-old also talked about how his idea of presenting one’s best foot forward is not exactly being perfect but giving the game a player’s best shot. No matter how one performs, be it under-par or over-par, they should just aim at giving it their personal best. Bland, however, is not the only pro-golfer preaching the effects of one’s mental fortitude on their game. So who is this other pro with an almost similar mindset?

The boons of adjusting one’s expectations for their game: Ben Hadden’s golden advice

Like Richard Bland, Hadden is also one such golfer who believes in putting one’s best foot forward. But his take on being a great player also comes with a tint of salt. While it is essential to keep the right attitude, for this 26-year-old, the key is to adjust one’s expectations. The bane of unrealistic expectations tends to do more harm than good when trying to present a player’s best possible foot forward.

In reality, Hadden suggests that the essence of his approach remains rooted in having a realistic attitude. This might sound limiting to some, but it generally strengthens one’s skills in the long term. Celebrating the small wins helps pave the way for greater things.

Hadden’s self-analysis also led him to shed light on how demanding being a great player really is. He added,

Surely Bland would agree with this young star on this ground. Having struggled most of his career to be a great player, this 51-year-old is one pro golfer who truly knows the importance of adjusting one’s expectations to give their personal best performance on the course.