A Sunrise Changed Everything
With the British Open this week, I thought about writing about some prior British Open. But I decided against it as I wrote a post on X. Something I wrote brought me back to my very first day in the golf business.
I was still in college and decided to try to find a part-time job at a local golf course. My thinking was I needed some spending money, and I could play some free golf. My first call was to the local country club. The pro explained he didn’t have any openings, but I should call the local resort and speak to the pro there.
I did and was informed he had an assistant professional position open if I was interested. I decided to interview for the job and accepted the position. Little did I know the journey I was about to embark on.
My very first day, I needed to be at the course by 5:30 am to help get carts and bags ready for the morning. When we started bringing carts up, we needed flashlights to make our way on the cart path which wound through trees up to the pro shop.
Not long after we started, the sun started rising.
As I turned the corner on the path behind the 9th green, I stopped the cart.
The colors of the sky took my breath away. Morning fog hovered a few feet over the lake on the 9th. The dead trees stood like sentinels out in the water welcoming the start of a new day. I cannot remember a more perfect image in my life.
I knew right then and there I was exactly where I was meant to be. I had never been happier or more at peace in my life before that moment.
That first professional job didn’t pay well. I worked insanely long hours. But it never felt like work. It felt like just hanging out at the golf course with other golfers sharing a mutual love of the game.
I still love sunrises at golf courses. It is a time of tranquility for me as the promise of a new day begins. But I don’t experience the moment much anymore. While I often see sunrises walking my dogs with my wife at 5:30 in the morning, I rarely get to see them at a golf course,
Every year for the past ten years, I have run a guys golf trip back to the course where I experienced that sunrise. Last year, I woke up early on the second day of the trip and wandered down to the 9th green as the sun started to rise. I sat there and enjoyed the moment reliving the memories of that very first morning as a golf pro all those years ago. I felt like I was home.
As I sat there, I started thinking about all the places and people and memories golf presented throughout my life. From my Dad introducing me to the game to competing on mini tours to celebrities I got to meet and hang out with. I can’t imagine a better life.
Speed training started up again this week. I managed to get two sessions in with my speed sitting exactly where it was prior to vacation. This week, I will be ramping back up and pushing myself pretty hard to try to get a jump up in speed. I have some changes I want to make. I’ll report back next week.
As always, be grateful when you play. Be thankful for the privilege and opportunity to play this amazing game. Now, go golf!
