It is easier to look back on the year with clarity after having finally finished my tournament golf schedule for 2025. With tournaments looming on the horizon, I found myself stressing over the many details of preparation—technique in the full swing, short game and putting; fitness and speed training; simulated competitive reps. With all of those things bouncing around in my head, at times it was difficult to see the forest through the trees. Especially in the case of the California Cup Matches (NCPGA vs. SCPGA), a Ryder Cup–style match that includes the 16 best playing PGA Professionals in the state, I allowed the specter of that tournament to lord over almost every part of my life. Being on the other side now has given me the clarity I wished I had before. The tournament even had the result I feared (we lost handily and I lost both of my matches). In a conversation with my wife the evening I returned home, I told her how silly I felt letting fear of a bad result rob me of my ability to enjoy life, a feeling exaggerated by the fact that she is (at the time of this writing), 6 months pregnant.
That conversation stuck with me, because the lesson applies just as much to our weekly games at the club as it does to elite competition and is majorly shaping the way I’m looking at personal goals for 2026.
Make Enjoyment the Priority, Not the Reward
One of the most common traps golfers fall into is treating enjoyment as something they
earn
after playing well. We tell ourselves,
“I’ll relax once I start scoring better,”
or
“I’ll enjoy this round if I’m under par.”
The reality is that it works the other way around. When enjoyment becomes the priority: • Tension decreases • Decision-making improves • Swings become freer and more athletic Enjoyment doesn’t mean a lack of care or competitiveness. It means recognizing that golf is a game we choose to play. When you give yourself permission to enjoy the walk, the company, and the challenge—regardless of outcome—you often find your best golf shows up more frequently. A simple mindset shift can help:
judge the day by your engagement, not your score.
Did you stay present? Did you commit to your shots? Did you respond well after mistakes? Those are wins that compound over time.
Be Secure Enough to Play the Game
Your
Way
At a country club, it’s easy to feel influenced by how others play, swing, or score. Comparison can quietly creep in and create pressure to chase someone else’s version of “good golf.” The most relaxed and consistent players are secure enough to: • Play conservative when that suits them • Choose clubs that match their tendencies, not their ego • Swing at a tempo that feels natural, even if it looks different There is no bonus for style points. The game doesn’t care how you get the ball in the hole, only that you do. When you trust
your
tendencies and commit to
your
decisions, anxiety fades and confidence grows. Security in your game also means accepting where you are right now. Some days you have your “A” swing, and some days you don’t. Playing smart, patient golf with what you brought that day is not giving in—it’s maturity.
Let Results Be Information, Not Identity
One of the hardest lessons I learned from that tournament stretch is that poor results don’t define you as a golfer or a person. They are simply feedback. When we attach our identity to outcomes, we give them far too much power. Instead, view each round as data: • What held up under pressure? • What needs attention in practice? • What can I do better next time? This approach keeps the game productive without making it heavy.
A Final Thought
Golf has a way of exposing our relationship with control, expectations, and self-worth. The irony is that when we loosen our grip on outcomes and allow ourselves to enjoy the process, we often play better. My hope for our members is simple:
Play with intention, compete with passion, but never at the expense of joy.
Having played many holes of golf with most of you, seeing how well you’re doing with this part of the game is something I consider a huge part of my job. It is for these reasons that I spend as much time on the course with students as I do. After all, the best rounds aren’t always the lowest scores—they’re the ones that make you eager to come back tomorrow. Here’s to a joyful 2026!
