RESILIENCE. Noun – English. The capacity to withstand or to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness.
In the days that followed since Rory McIlroy sank that putt, and sank to his knees on Augusta’s iconic 18th green, that word has surfaced time and time again.
What McIlroy achieved at Augusta on 13th 2025 will forever go down in history. The golf was out of this world, of course. But the mental fortitude that it took to get there, and to finally slip on that coveted green jacket, can teach so much, both within golf and far beyond. And that’s precisely what the Golf Foundation’s Unleash Your Drive programme is trying to achieve, under the invaluable guidance of Nick Dougherty.
Teaching Resilience, One Swing at a Time
In a post-Covid digital age, where teachers report that young people often give up too quickly when faced with difficulty, we at the Golf Foundation believe golf can be a powerful tool for change. That’s why we launched Unleash Your Drive in Schools in September 2023, after five years of rigorous research. The six-week programme is delivered in schools through fun, inclusive golf games – with a serious purpose: to build the mental toughness of children.
The games are about far more than just enjoyment, and getting a club in the hand for the first time. They embed core mental toughness tools like emotional control, positive self-belief, and visualisation – the very tools elite athletes like Rory rely on under pressure.
We’re not just teaching children how to hit a ball; we’re helping them learn how to recover from setbacks, manage their emotions, and stay focused on what they can do, not what they can’t.
Wikipedia tells us that ‘Resilience is not merely the ability to bounce back from adversity but involves developing skills such as emotional regulation, problem-solving, and maintaining a positive outlook despite challenges.’
Rory going back to the well time and time again takes mental fortitude, yes, but it relies on him calling upon mental toughness tools that guide his mental strength. These tools are what we are trying to teach young people, helping to prepare them for those moments in life when they face a challenging situation. They won’t always realise that mental toughness tools are helping them take the right path, or guiding them to a more successful outcome, but what we do sets them up for life.
“Changes in mental toughness have a lasting impact, significantly increasing an individual’s ability to cope with challenges, stress, and pressure,” explains Dr John Perry, associate professor in sport and psychology at the University of Limerick. “With Unleash Your Drive, even a small improvement in mental toughness leads to lasting changes in overall wellbeing. As mental toughness progresses, the tools developed through the programme help create a lifelong effect.”
Rory and the media watching on talk about resilience – and what Unleash Your Drive is doing is putting the building blocks in place to help that resilience to come out when it’s needed most, whether on the golf course, in the classroom, or in those moments when life tests everyone the most.
What Went Well, Even Better If
One of the most powerful tools in our programme is deceptively simple. What Went Well, Even Better If encourages children to reflect constructively on their efforts. Rather than seeing failure as final, they learn to identify positives and look for opportunities to improve. It takes some learning for pupils and teachers alike to reframe missed shots and moments, but once they get used to the language, it becomes second nature.
What Went Well? You had the courage to try hit the ball
Even Better If… you connect with it next time.
What Went Well, Even Better If is central to Unleash Your Drive in Schools, as we teach the kids to find positives in every shot, and eventually to use it in their classroom and at home. One pupil at a school in South London talked about missing out on full marks in a test, and then reminding themselves of their progress from previous tests – look for the positives, find the ‘what went well’.
Back to Augusta, and this core mental toughness tool was prevalent throughout the week. When Justin Rose left the course with the lead at the halfway mark, our own President Nick Dougherty was reflecting on the two shaky tee shots that added a hesitant fullstop to his day. “There are plenty of Even Better If moments for Rosey,” Dougherty pointed out, as the ever-excellent Sky Sports coverage faded out. “But there are even more What Went Wells, and those are the moments he has to focus on tomorrow.”
As the tournament reached its climax, too, What Went Well, Even Better If made a particularly important appearance. When asked how his long-time caddy Harry Diamond had managed his nerves after missing the putt on 18 that sent the 2025 Masters to a playoff, McIlroy told the media “He said to me, ‘Well, pal, we would have taken this on Monday morning. That was an easy reset… that reframed it for me.”
“It was immensely satisfying for us at the Golf Foundation to not only see one of our great players write history at Augusta National, but to watch the manner in which Rory did so,” Dougherty explained after the event. “He showed great resolve, resilience, patience and courage, sometimes having to control the fizz and reframe moments on the biggest of stages. Our greatest talent exemplified the golf and life skills we strive to share with our youngsters in our Unleash Your Drive in Schools programme, and in the most meaningful of ways. It was a privilege to watch him capture this moment and continue to inspire those coming next.”
Inspiring the Next Generation
More than 1,200 schools have now registered to deliver Unleash Your Drive, and we’re only just getting started. Early results show that students are maintaining an average 20% understanding of the mental toughness tools, meaning they’re recognising when and how to use them to navigate challenges and setbacks in their lives. Strengthening mental toughness has a direct impact on overall wellbeing, and we’re already seeing an average 6% improvement in that area.
When children see role models like Rory overcome setbacks with grace and grit, it has a lasting impact. But it’s not enough to watch greatness — we need to equip young people with the tools to pursue their own version of it.
Unleash Your Drive does exactly that. It creates a safe, supportive environment where children learn not to give up, even when things don’t go their way. Just like Rory didn’t. And just like our children won’t, with the right support.
As Rory lifted that trophy, millions watched a career-defining moment. But for the Golf Foundation, it was yet another reminder – what we do matters. Mental toughness can be taught. Resilience can be learned. And with the right tools, children across the UK can build the confidence and focus they need to thrive, both on and off the course.
