Surrounded by the lush greenery of the Kula Forest and the majestic West Maui Mountains, Freddy Hoch (12) steps onto the green fairway of the King Kamehameha Golf Course. As he lines up his shot, the crashing waves of the Pacific Ocean provide a soothing background soundtrack. This experience represents the perfect culmination of his passions, combining the beauty of the course with the company of his parents. 

At the age of 5, Freddy began playing golf on the weekends with his father. Twelve years later, Freddy is still pursuing his love for the sport. Though he struggled with dwelling on his mistakes when he was younger, he has learned to cultivate a resilient mindset through his time with golf.

“[Sports are] supposed to be fun, but for me, golf became more of a task than a hobby — and I realized that it was taking a toll on me mentally and socially,” Freddy said. “I struggled to balance all my commitments with tournament golf, so I decided to step back. When I was younger, I wasn’t able to drop that mindset and move forward, which is what you need to be able to do in golf.”

Reflecting on challenges he has faced in golf, ranging from his own skill to the terrain of certain courses, Freddy emphasizes the importance of adaptability and being able to adjust to changing conditions of the course. With each swing, he strives to hone his technique and improve his overall game, demonstrating the level of skill and passion required to excel in this sport.

“You can play the same course twice in a row, but you’ll never have the same experience or same shot twice in a row,” Freddy said. “Your swing has to be so consistent and perfect all the time. Even the smallest thing wrong in your swing can alter the outcome of where your ball goes and ultimately how the game ends.”

When he encountered mental obstacles, Freddy adapted his approach. As a strong believer in the phrase “practice makes perfect,” he dedicated himself to improving his technique. To alleviate the internal pressure of perfection, Freddy approaches tournaments with a similar mindset as he does practice.

“The game is so mental,” Freddy said. “It’s not hard to physically play golf, but it’s so mentally straining. I realized that if I treat the tournaments just like I treat practice, I’ll play the same way in tournaments as I do when I practice. As weird as it sounds, you probably play a lot better in practice because there’s no pressure.”

His growth as a player is apparent, not only in his technical skill improvement but also in his shift in perspective. As a seasoned golfer, Freddy understands the crucial role of personal responsibility in the game. He consistently reflects on his performance and actively seeks to make improvements. 

“In baseball, you can get away with a fluke hit,” Freddy said. “In football, a quarterback can misread an assignment, but your wide receiver can still make a great play. But in golf, you can’t really get away with anything because it’s just you. You’ve got no one else to blame but yourself. A lot of times I don’t want to take the blame for certain actions. Golf is a place where you can’t not take the blame because nobody else played but you.”

Freddy’s contagious drive to better himself inspires his teammates to do the same. Wyatt Cote (12), who has played golf alongside Freddy for the last four years, admires his ambition, whether in everyday practice or a high-level tournament. 

“Freddy is so motivating,” Wyatt said. “Sophomore year and last year, he gave some really good speeches to rally the small and, to be honest, at that time not that competitive of a team. We really needed that, and he did a really good job at it.”

Off the course, Freddy carries the same tenacity and positive attitude. Upper school mathematics teacher Caren Furtado, who taught Freddy his junior year, commended his work ethic, both as an active student in her class and in his other endeavors.

“Freddy really brings a lot of high energy and focus,” Furtado said. “He is very ambitious and very hard working. On the day of a test, he would be [at my door] at 7:15, work on practice problems until 8 and have a set of questions ready for me. He is just such a determined student.”

Close friend Carol Wininger (12) can attest to Freddy’s growth in the last few years. After becoming friends in middle school, the two have acted as a pillar of support for each other since.

“I’m proud of Freddy because I’ve seen him mature a lot,” Carol said. “His dependability and ability to stay calm are the strengths of his character. He’s a lot more persistent in wanting to complete things.”

Freddy derives his perseverance and determination from his mother’s life story, viewing her achievements as proof that he too can reach his goals, despite the adversity he is bound to face.

“My mom is a first generation immigrant,” Freddy said. “She has worked her way up to a management position in a pretty big company. If she came to America when she was 20, not being able to speak English with nothing in her pocket, and made it, that means I can do it too.”

As Freddy pursues his aspirations, he has experienced both ups and downs, but he emphasizes the importance of self-reflection and acknowledging his accomplishments. At the end of the day, he strives to not only excel in golf but also to accomplish objectives in other areas of his life.

“If I successfully complete my goal, there’s always a feeling of accomplishment,” Freddy said. “I don’t think there’s anything better than that feeling of thinking to yourself, ‘I was able to succeed at that, and I was able to do it well.’”