Getting to know my mindset

My first memories of golf are going to practice at the club that my grandfather was a member at. He started taking me to the range at his course when I was in diapers.  When I began grammar school, he would pick me up from school with my golf clubs in his car and we would head to the course.  I would always practice in the same order: chip for a little, hit a few balls on the range, practice a few putts, and then he would take me to play a few holes.  From the early days to my time now in college, he has been with me every step and is a big factor for my love of the game.

Transitioning from junior golf to college golf definitely forced me to be adaptable and adjust the way I look at how I manage myself throughout the day. From the first day on campus, we were hit with the responsibility to be able to manage a lot of factors at once throughout our days. The biggest lesson I learned was time management, and I had to learn it quickly since our season is the first day that we get on campus. Having to manage classes, practices, workouts, meetings, time to study, and getting meals in forced me to mature very quickly. I was put into an environment I had never experienced before, which I had obviously had no idea how I was going to handle at first, but made me become very organized and responsible. Once I found a rhythm on campus and learned how to manage everything, I began to enjoy it as I've always got something to do.

From my experiences so far, course management is vital in giving yourself the best chance to have a good result in tournaments. Obviously having a good plan is one half of the equation as you still need to execute shots, but without a good gameplan for the course you don't have a chance at being able to perform at a high level. As I've played in more events, especially in college, I've learned to take a more conservative approach to the golf courses. The value of par is high in collegiate events, as the golf courses at this level penalize players for having ambitious plans without the ability to execute the perfect shot. Taking this into consideration, I've learned to give myself the biggest margin for error in most situations.

Through golf, I have discovered something that I am passionate and dedicated to. I have learned that hard work pays off and in order to achieve the results you want, you need to have a type of confidence in your game that can back up those ambitions. I have learned that though I am out there playing on my own, I would not be able to achieve my golf goals without my “team” of family and friends supporting and encouraging me since day 1.