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Enjoy the Ride: Balancing the Ups and Downs of a Round

By Brendon Elliott, PGA
Published on

Hideki Matsuyama of Japan walks to the 18th green during the third round of the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club on April 10, 2021 in Augusta, Georgia. Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

One of the things that separate the world’s best players that tee it up on any of the professional tours and the rest of us that play the game is the ability to ride the wave that is a round of golf. 
No golf course or tournament has waves like Augusta National and The Masters does. It’s what we as fans love most about this week and it’s what makes this event so coveted by the pros. 
The twist and turns on the back nine at Augusta, especially on Sunday, is what makes this event so special for fans and players alike.
Those that can navigate these waves the best, through patience, planning and preparation, will be the ones in contention on Sunday. 
Sometimes a player, like we saw with Hideki Matsuyama on Saturday, catch a killer wave and ride it to perfection. His back nine of 30 which led to a bogey-free 65, was as clean of a ride the event has seen all week. 
Other times the waves players catch are choppy and hard to navigate. Take Rose, Zalatoris, Spieth, or a handful of others, who saw numerous circles and squares on their card in the third round. They may have not caught the run Hideki did but still managed to stay right there with a chance on Sunday. That’s really what it’s all about for these guys...having a chance on Sunday. 
What can we learn from this event, and the players finding themselves among those in the hunt going into the final round? 
Golfers need to learn how to manage their expectations. With that, they need to remember that they will have opportunities throughout the course of a round but they will also have setbacks. 
Seizing the opportunities you get and doing your best to limit and not compound on the mistakes is critical. How we accomplish this is by having a mindset that allows us to hyper focus on those opportunities when they come but also be OK with the mistakes that will surely happen.
Probably the easiest way to do this, and by far the best piece of advice I give to my students, or can give to anyone that plays the game is “Enjoy the Ride!” 
After all, golf is meant to be enjoyed. 
Brendon R. Elliott, PGA

Sorrento, FL

Brendon Elliott

Director of Instruction, Freelance Golf Writer

[Brendon Elliott, PGA](https://brendonelliott.com/), is an award-winning PGA Professional, player-development coach and nationally recognized golf writer with three decades of experience in the golf industry. As of 2026, he has been a PGA Professional for 17 years and has earned more than 25 PGA Section and Chapter honors for his work in coaching, education and player development. In 2017, he received the PGA of America National Youth Player Development Award. ## Coaching Competitive Teenage Golfers Through [BE A GOLFER](https://beagolfer.golf/home), Brendon specializes in working with competitive teenage golfers who want to improve their performance, better understand their games and prepare for the demands of high school, junior tournament and college golf. His primary focus is [Remote Coaching](https://beagolfer.golf/remote-coaching), which allows him to remain actively involved in a player’s development regardless of location. Rather than relying on occasional lessons or isolated swing fixes, Brendon works with players throughout their competitive journey. His coaching covers much more than the golf swing. Players receive ongoing guidance in structured practice, short-game development, putting, course management, tournament preparation, performance analysis, goal setting and the mental and physical habits required to improve over time. Using video analysis, virtual coaching sessions, performance data and regular communication, Brendon helps each player understand what to work on, why it matters and how to make meaningful progress between practices and tournaments. Brendon accepts only a limited number of in-person students in Central Florida. His priority is building long-term [Remote Coaching](https://beagolfer.golf/remote-coaching) relationships with competitive teenage golfers and their families. The goal is not simply to help a young player hit better shots. It is to help that player become more prepared, more accountable and more capable of navigating everything competitive golf demands. Brendon’s career has included serving as a head golf professional, general manager, college golf educator, career development director, academy owner and longtime junior golf leader. He founded Little Linksters Golf Academy in 2008 and led the organization for more than 16 years before selling the academy in late 2024 and launching [BE A GOLFER](https://beagolfer.golf/home). ## Golf Writing and Media Brendon is also a nationally recognized and prolific golf writer and storyteller. He is the Senior Golf Writer for [Athlon Sports](https://athlonsports.com/author/brendon-elliott) and has written extensively about professional golf, instruction, player development, equipment, golf history and the people shaping the game. His work has also appeared with PGA.com, GolfWRX, PGA Magazine, MyGolfSpy and several other prominent golf media outlets. Through [One More Roll Golf Media](https://onemorerollgolf.com/), Brendon provides editorial content, feature writing, consulting and media services throughout the golf industry. His background as a coach and educator shapes the way he writes, while his work as a writer strengthens the way he coaches. He understands how to explain complicated ideas clearly, ask better questions and connect the technical, strategic and personal sides of golf.