Rory McIlroy has achieved more in the game of golf than most. He is one of six golfers to win the career Grand Slam, has 44 victories worldwide and is one of the greatest European golfers in history.
McIlroy obviously has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to game improvement. When asked at the Travelers Championship how amateur golfers can easily lower their scores, the reigning Masters champion suggested they shouldn’t bite off more than they can chew.
“I think sometimes it’s just more of them trying to shoot, or trying to make a shot that they can probably make once or twice out of 10, rather than playing a little bit more percentage-wise,” McIlroy said. “That’s boring, but that’s certainly the most effective way to lower your score.”
But when it comes to young golfers, McIlroy’s advice is a little more ambiguous.
After winning the 2025 BBC Sports Personality of the Year on Thursday, McIlroy was asked about the best advice he would give to young golfers. It’s something that can be applied to any passion, both on and off the course.
“Never lose your enthusiasm or joy for the game,” McIlroy told the BBC. “As long as you enjoy the game and love what you do and get lost in it, I think that’s the easiest way to get better. Because the more you love something, the more you’re going to do it, and of course you’re going to get better.”
Earlier this year, McIlroy spoke at his pre-tournament press conference at the Masters about “chasing a feeling, not a result.” That feeling? Exactly what he believes young golfers should find, utilize and hold on to as they begin their journey.
“It’s the feeling of a kind of childlike joy and enthusiasm,” McIlroy said on a television program appearance on The Shotgun Starting Point. “I think back to my early days, when I wasn’t really into school. So the last few lessons at school, and I’m thinking about going to Holywood Golf Club and, you know, playing until it’s dark and just that joy and enthusiasm. It’s almost like an adventure, you know, once you get on the golf course it’s like an adventure, and you’re just going around and you’re chasing this ball and you’re seeing shots and you’re just, you’re so in the moment and in tune with your senses, that is the feeling we are talking about.
“You know, once you’re done playing golf, you look at yourself in the mirror and say, ‘Okay, this is how I want to feel. This is how I want to think. This is how I want to act.’ Going back to the reasons why you started playing the game in the first place.”
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