On or off the course, it would not be wrong to say that Scottie Scheffler has got it all this year. World No. 1 won a major, the Olympic gold medal, and helped win Team USA the Presidents Cup. Oh, and how the other six triumphs on the Tour could be forgotten. On the personal front, Scheffler became a proud dad to Bennett Scheffler. With all the success, the 28-year-old remains humble and always stated that golf was just a part of his life and not his entire life. He adheres to boundaries between golf and his personal life, but how does one do it?

You know, caring just enough so that golf doesn’t become insufferable for them? This was the question Kyle Porter asked Rory McIlroy. Contemplating the question, the Northern Irishman said, “It’s a very fine line to walk.” Furthermore, he expressed how he cares a lot about the sport because he loves it and also because he wants to end his career after achieving everything he dreams of.

With this passion, McIlroy reiterated that it is a fine line to not let the game affect him too much. On the topic of balance, the Ulstermen talked about how Scheffler has solved the puzzle.

He said, “I think Scottie does a really good job of it because he obviously cares a bunch, but he also is probably humble enough to know that it’s not all in his control.” McIlroy asserted that his faith is probably the bigger part of his being humble and said, “I think he, more than anyone right now that plays a game, has figured that out.” Indeed, golf is tough on the mind. There is a reason why a full episode of the Netflix documentary ‘Full Swing’ is dedicated to discussing that.

‘Golf is Hard’ episode 7 is named. It documented the 2022 PGA Tour season, showing just how difficult it is to win even a single tournament, let alone multiple or a major. It showcases how some pro golfers have gone to extremes to handle that. Take Matt Fitzpatrick for instance.

Often considered the hardest-working player in men’s golf, the 28-year-old Englishman has maintained details of his shots since he was 15. According to Fitzpatrick’s estimates, he has recorded over 7,000 swings from both competitions and the driving range. On the other hand, some golfers have more humane ways to handle that.

Tony Finau, a five-time PGA Tour winner, believes in balancing his career with family responsibilities. In the documentary, when the question of why the talented American did not win more silverware came, his close proximity to his family is unveiled. For most of the 2022 calendar, Finau traveled to tournaments with his family. “I feel like I just have to show the world not only what a great player I am, but the person I was raised to be,” Finau said. This approach has enabled the golfer to set his priorities right.

As Tony sums it up, “My career means a lot to me. And at times I think we can mistake that it means everything.” That is exactly how Scottie tends to think. His approach has been not to let failure reign over his head.

“Tiger didn’t make every putt and win every tournament,” Scheffler says. “What happened at East Lake at the Tour Championship, or being one shot away from winning the U.S. Open, I’m never going to forget those tournaments. Those experiences are good lessons when it comes to putting in the work. Even though the good and bad memories will stick with me, they don’t hang over my head every day. When I get home, I’m home. I’m just trying to have fun. Golf’s one part of my life, but it’s not my entire life,” Scottie had said to Golf Digest in 2023. One more thing is there.

Scottie will probably never walk on Fitzpatrick’s path. Because he does not believe in looking back to the previous shot or thinking about what others behind him are doing. After winning the 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational, Scottie had an interesting take. “If you are trying to play perfect golf, it does not work. There is no such thing,” Scottie had said. Instead, his advice was to emphasize the process – the hours of practice, the drills you rely on, and the pre-shot routine that calms your nerves. It’s about focusing on the small, daily improvements.

Scottie believes that being imperfect is perfect to have. “Knowing it’s OK to make some mistakes is freeing. You can stop thinking about what’s going to happen on the next hole, or what the guys behind you are doing, or where the ball is going to end up, and just try to hit a good shot. Then get to the next shot and try to do it again,” he had said previously. Indeed, such a radical approach has earned paid him well.

Take this year’s Memorial Tournament for example. He had a close battle with fellow two-time major winner Collin Morikawa at the Ohio event. Victory wasn’t assured for him there. But he held his nerves to put a firm stroke on a downhill putt from 5 feet above the hole to take out the break. No wonder, he is hailed as one mentally toughest golfers out there.

35-year-old Rory McIlroy also understands the importance of mental balance in golf. So, he expressed that it is something he has been working on for quite a while and may strike gold sooner than later. And how has he been achieving this goal? The 4-time major winner revealed the one exercise he does that has helped him a ton and another reason that enables him to leave golf at the course.

Rory McIlroy’s approach to striking the perfect balance

Undoubtedly, it is hard for any golfer to not let a missed putt, which may cost a title, affect their moods and life. And who would know better than Rory McIlroy? The 4-time major winner has finished runner-up in the 2024 season many times, but the US Open’s missed putt was the most haunting nightmare. Yet he buckled up from that and continued his season. How did he not let the missed US Open title take precedence in his life?

Well, the secret is McIlroy and his trick with the sports psychologist, Dr. Bob Rotella. In the interview with Kyle Porter, he talked about the balance and said, “Rotella and I talk about giving each shot and each day the same low level of importance. Like, it’s important, but it’s not everything. How can you give everything that same low level of importance? And that’s the balance that you’re trying to strike.” 

So far, McIlroy implied that he has been successful a few times, but that’s just because of his session with the psychologist. His 4-year-old daughter, Poppy McIlroy, also softens the blow when things go haywire or work out great. He shared how his daughter doesn’t care if he had shot 63 instead just wants him to play. So as a professional golfer, McIlroy quickly dons the father hat, and the missed putt or a title stops becoming the center of his life as he looks over it.

The game is a tough endeavor as it is, and with the additional stress, players like McIlroy and Scheffler acknowledge that it could affect the mental game. Thus, having a balance between the two is the key; that always comes in handy.