Jackson Rosquita Overcomes the Mental Side of Golf

By Michael Tokailagi

Golf can be a difficult sport. One bad shot can affect the rest of a round. For junior golfer Jackson Rosquita, one of his biggest challenges has not been his physical skills, but his mindset.

“A big setback I faced in golf was myself,” Rosquita said. “Golf is a very mental game.”

One of the hardest times for Rosquita came during the summer between his freshman and sophomore years. He was struggling to play well and felt like his game was getting worse every time he played. At one point, he even considered giving up golf and playing football.

Instead, Rosquita decided to keep playing. His hard work eventually paid off, as he had a much better year compared to his freshman season.

That experience taught Rosquita how important it is to stay positive when things are not going well. He faced another mental challenge during his first match this year, when he played the worst he had ever played. Instead of letting that performance continue to affect him, he changed how he approached the game.

“Since that match I have practiced thinking about what's coming next and not what just happened,” Rosquita said.

Now, Rosquita tries to treat every shot as a new opportunity. When he hits a bad shot, he uses it as motivation to make his next shot better instead of thinking about the mistake.

Overcoming adversity has helped Rosquita become a stronger golfer, but more importantly, it has taught him how to handle difficult moments. His experiences have shown that golf is not just about hitting good shots.

It is also about staying calm, moving on from mistakes and keeping your mind focused on what comes next.