Winning has never been my problem. I savor it. I remember every detail of my best rounds — the shots, the conversations, even the taste of the beer at the turn. One standout day in Las Vegas, I matched my personal best with a 76, holed out from 100 yards, and felt like the game was effortless. That round still lives vividly in my head.
But the bad days? The ugly 92s? Those fade almost instantly. They blur together or disappear entirely.
That realization hit again when golfers started sharing their yearly handicap summaries. I struggled to recall many of my own rounds, even though I played only a handful of times — and on some incredible courses, from Chambers Bay and Lawsonia to Ireland and the Poconos. The memories weren’t nearly as sharp as the one great round.
Winning matters, of course. You want to remember success so you can chase it again. And losses should teach lessons before being tossed aside. Still, maybe we need to redefine what counts as a win.
A scorecard isn’t everything. There’s the place, the people, the laughs, the hot dog, the drink in the cart. That perspective became even clearer after a November car accident left me with a broken rib and unable to swing a club. Right now, I’d gladly hit balls anywhere — the result wouldn’t matter.
With that mindset, it’s time for the annual holiday wish list — 25 hopes for golf in the year ahead.
One major wish is for Scottie Scheffler to keep being as open as he was during his memorable press conference at The Open. Scheffler spoke honestly about how fleeting victory is, how winning lasts only moments before life moves on, and how golf — despite all the work and sacrifice — doesn’t fulfill the deepest parts of the heart. What truly matters to him is family, fatherhood, and balance. He admitted that losing still hurts deeply, but that’s part of a sport where defeats far outnumber wins.
