When the Weather Doesn’t Break Your Way: Lessons from the Links
Just weeks after J.J. Spaun’s rain-soaked triumph at Oakmont, where a 64-foot putt sealed an unlikely U.S. Open victory, the golf world turns to Royal Portrush for The Open Championship. Spaun’s resilience through adversity offers timeless lessons for both golf and investing that extend far beyond that miraculous Sunday finish.
The Wisdom to “Just Stay There”
During a casual lunch with Max Homa, Spaun heard a Tiger Woods story that would prove prophetic. “He was telling a Tiger story where he was like, ‘As long as you just like are still there, you don’t have to do anything crazy, especially at a U.S. Open,'” Spaun recalled. “‘Tiger said this would happen, and the wind will switch, but you’ve got to just stay there. Even if you’re four back, you’ve just got to stay there.'”
After five bogeys in his first six holes and trailing by four shots following a weather delay, Spaun remembered those words. Instead of forcing heroic shots, he stayed patient and carded a remarkable 32 on the back nine to claim his first major championship.
Links Golf and Market Volatility
The Open Championship at Royal Portrush presents the perfect parallel to Spaun’s weather-tested victory. Northern Ireland’s rugged coastal conditions create the ultimate test of adaptability and mental fortitude.
Just as links golf rewards those who embrace rather than fight the elements, successful investing requires accepting market volatility as an opportunity rather than an obstacle. The player who wins The Open won’t necessarily be the most talented, but the one who best handles adversity when conditions become challenging.
The Investor’s All-Weather Strategy
Spaun’s approach mirrors what every investor needs during market storms: discipline over desperation. When markets become volatile, the temptation is to abandon strategy for quick fixes—much like golfers who chase miracle shots from the rough instead of playing smart.
Key lessons for investors:
- Don’t force outcomes during market downturns—let opportunities come to you.
- Maintain diversification across asset classes to weather different conditions.
- Focus on process rather than daily portfolio movements.
- Use volatility delays to reset and refocus, just as Spaun used the rain delay to his advantage.
The Discipline of Patience
Tiger’s philosophy of “staying there” perfectly captures what separates champions from contenders in both golf and investing. Rather than swinging for the fences when trailing, the best players understand that patience and persistence often triumph over force and flash.
For investors, this means trusting your long-term strategy even when markets seem to work against you. Just as Spaun didn’t abandon his game plan after those early bogeys, successful investors maintain their disciplined approach through market cycles.
Playing the Long Game
The markets have demonstrated remarkable resilience in recovering from recent tariff-related fears. After initial volatility, disciplined investors who remained patient through the uncertainty have been rewarded with renewed market strength.
This recovery illustrates a fundamental truth about investing: staying invested during uncertainty often proves more rewarding than attempting to time the market. Markets have shown they can adapt to new realities, just as Spaun adapted to Oakmont’s challenging conditions. While future outcomes are never certain, disciplined, long-term investing approaches tend to outperform attempts to jump in and out of markets. The key is keeping the ball in play and letting compound growth work over time, rather than chasing quick fixes during volatile periods.
The storms will pass, but the discipline to weather them determines who’s left standing when conditions improve.
Disclaimer: The content in this article is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as recommendations, financial planning advice, or health advice. We encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding all health and personal finance matters.
