In the world of sports, "inconsistency" is not a term you want to hear describing your play. It's a four-letter word in these circles because it never leads to good things.

Teams that get regular, effective contributions from players can expect success in the long run. Those that don't can be impossible to figure out from one event to the next.

The Penn State men's golf team has been dealing with inconsistency issues for some time now. There are flashes of brilliance from players at times, followed by poor performances that leave the team dissatisfied. Ultimately, this has been a recipe for disappointment. The Nittany Lions have finished in the top-10 only twice since the beginning of last spring season.

Despite the letdowns, one golfer has stepped up and made a particularly firm mark on the program. Junior Robert Rohanna has proven that he can be the kind of stabilizing force the Lions need to be competitive this season and in future years.

He has carded the team's best score in nine of the last 12 events and has developed into a leader for the younger golfers, freshman Kevin Foley said.

"I kind of set an example. If I play well and give some encouragement to the other players, that will help them out," Rohanna said of his role on the team.

The idea of being a standout golfer is not new to Rohanna, who says he can remember seeing pictures of himself with a club in his hand as early as four. He grew up in Waynesburg, Pa. on a course that his family owned.

By the age of nine he was playing competitively. At a junior tournament, a man with two sons who played college golf pointed out to his father that Rohanna was one of the best junior golfers he had ever seen.

He continued to improve his game, having figured out early on that he would compete on the collegiate level.

During Rohanna's freshman year, Penn State fielded one of its most successful golf teams in its history. He gained valuable experience, even during a difficult stretch of the fall semester, watching seniors such as Mark Leon, who has since turned professional.

"Leon played my freshman year and he was a very, very good golfer and a guy I looked up to," Rohanna said.

With the departure of many great golfers after that season, Rohanna was immediately thrust into a position where he was the team's most productive and consistent competitor on the course.

A new set of surroundings made for a very different year, though, as Penn State struggled to hold its own against tough opponents.

Now, in his third year, Rohanna is not only trying to keep up his own solid play, but also helping out his young teammates when they get down on themselves.

"The one round that you shoot bad kills you. It puts a damper on things when you play well and then have that one bad round. The main goal is to keep on getting better," Rohanna said.

"Everyone is going to have a bad tournament now and then, but you can't let that get you down. We'd like to start finishing better but the only way to do that is to play better. We have a team that has a lot of talent on it."

Talent, of course, is not the problem. If the Lions play their best week in and week out, they will be a much better team. In that respect, it is great to have a player like Rohanna who exemplifies consistency.

As the season moves on, time will tell if his success can propel the team forward.