Think54 and Stretch Goals

Sometimes setting a goal based on how well things were done in the past can be very limiting. I was watching a Skins Game last year and the announcers talked about Annika Sorenstam’s amazing run of golf victories. One aspect they cited for her great success was an idea called Think54, a way to think about and prepare for golf. The basic tenet is this: Every hole in golf is a birdie possibility. If a player were to birdie all 18 holes, that would be a 54.

Now, we know that the lowest score ever recorded in a professional gold match was Al Geibergers’s 59 in 1977 (matched only by three other men on the PGA). That was matched by Annika in 2001 (she’s the only woman to shoot that score in a pro round, and it’s a feat even Tiger Woods hasn’t accomplished). How did she do it? Think54. From what I understand about the process, the stretch goal of shooting the perfect round, a 54, wasn’t really conceptualized until the Swedish coaches, Nilsson and Marriott came along. They recalibrated their player below the “Magic 59″ to Think54. Lo and behold, it worked.

Stretch goals: Try ‘em. And go out and shoot a 54.

About the Author

Frank Roche

Frank started IFRACTAL over 7 years ago with Sarah Chambers. Together, they've created HR communications and HR software for some of the world's leading companies. Frank is also studying Flamenco guitar and origami.

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