Ambition and consistency: recipes to win
Today, I had the privilege of watching my 13-year-old son compete in an STPGA Junior Tour tournament, and he did an excellent job. After some considerable hard work over the past two weeks, he shot the personal best of 86 (+14) in an 18-hole round at STPGA Junior Tour. Considering he only started playing exactly a year ago, this is an amazing achievement. Of course, we know the road ahead will be bumpy, with plenty of ups and downs, but his growth has been inspiring.
Reflecting on today, I had a couple of takeaways I want to share.
In his group, there was a player who typically scores within +5 strokes, a top contender. Two instances stuck with me.
First, at a 140-yard par 3 over water, the boys took out their rangefinders. The other boy announced 140 yards to the pin, while my son said 100 yards over the water. A seemingly normal exchange, but it made me realize how differently they viewed the situation. The other boy was focused on the pin; my son was wary of the hazard. When I asked why he didn’t focus on the pin, he grinned, understanding what I meant. In the end, the other boy got a birdie, and my son a par—still a good result. But this moment reminded me that our vision defines our results to a great extent.
The second thought came from the overall outcome. The other boy finished at +3 and took second place, while my son shot his personal best at +14 and placed seventh. What stood out was not the number of birdies but the consistency. The worst score the other boy had was a bogey (+1) on any hole, while my son had a +4 on one hole and a couple of double bogeys (+2). It reaffirmed what pros often say—winning isn’t about getting lots of birdies but about avoiding double and triple bogeys. If my son could avoid those big fluctuations, he might have shot close to 80.
Now, connecting this to business, here’s my takeaway: your vision defines your actions—be ambitious. But success is less about the exciting highs and more about avoiding waste and delivering consistency.
What do you think?
Reflecting on today, I had a couple of takeaways I want to share.
In his group, there was a player who typically scores within +5 strokes, a top contender. Two instances stuck with me.
First, at a 140-yard par 3 over water, the boys took out their rangefinders. The other boy announced 140 yards to the pin, while my son said 100 yards over the water. A seemingly normal exchange, but it made me realize how differently they viewed the situation. The other boy was focused on the pin; my son was wary of the hazard. When I asked why he didn’t focus on the pin, he grinned, understanding what I meant. In the end, the other boy got a birdie, and my son a par—still a good result. But this moment reminded me that our vision defines our results to a great extent.
The second thought came from the overall outcome. The other boy finished at +3 and took second place, while my son shot his personal best at +14 and placed seventh. What stood out was not the number of birdies but the consistency. The worst score the other boy had was a bogey (+1) on any hole, while my son had a +4 on one hole and a couple of double bogeys (+2). It reaffirmed what pros often say—winning isn’t about getting lots of birdies but about avoiding double and triple bogeys. If my son could avoid those big fluctuations, he might have shot close to 80.
Now, connecting this to business, here’s my takeaway: your vision defines your actions—be ambitious. But success is less about the exciting highs and more about avoiding waste and delivering consistency.
What do you think?
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