Back to the beginning….
When I was 11 years old, my dad thought it would be a good idea that my younger sister and I learn to play golf. I had grown up dancing, playing tennis and soccer, and did not really consider trying to play golf. One summer afternoon, my dad took us to the range. I had three Ping irons and a 7-wood in a purple bag. I immediately began swinging away, topping and wiffing every ball–super frustrating.
My dad came over and gave me a few pointers–how to stand, how to grip the club and the general motion to swing the club. He also made me tee up all of the balls, rather than hitting them off the ground. Towards the end of the bucket, I began getting some in the air.
After a couple more outings to the driving range, I was able to hit my 7 wood in the air to the 100 yard marker. My frustration turned into determination. That same summer my dad enrolled me in a 9-hole golf match. I was so nervous. I had never played an entire 9 holes, while walking and carrying my own bag. I shot a 99 for that round–not for 18 holes, but a 99 for 9 holes…very embarrassing. I wanted to go back to focusing on tennis, soccer and dance. My parents both convinced me to stick with golf for the rest of the summer. By going out a couple evenings to the driving range, I continued to improve. I began breaking 70, then 60 and then consistently shot in the 50s. I was hooked!
That summer marked the beginning of a game that has had a huge impact on my life. From traveling to courses all over the country, meeting friends, networking and challenging myself, the game of golf has lead to numerous opportunities. Whether playing just for fun with friends or competing in local or national tournaments, golf will teach you invaluable lessons that you will use for the rest of your life.
How to start:
- Check out local golf courses, some of them have summer leagues for junior golfers. This is a great place to start. You will make friends with other junior golfers in your area.
- Go online to see if your county has a junior county golf tour. I began competing in the St. Joseph County Golf Tour in Indiana. These tournaments are fun because they allow you to play at different courses, sometimes even the private golf courses in your area.
- Go to your local course and take some lessons. Whether they are private or small clinics, it is important to understand the basics of golf.
- Practice, practice, practice. Golf is a game of creativity. Golf is unique because you get firsthand feedback from what the ball does. By going out and experimenting with a different stance, a different grip and different clubs, you will learn what works and what does not.
So this was my beginning. What about you? How did you start?