Last Thursday, I invited Jayda Dookie, a high school senior at Suncoast Community High School, to visit the Homeschool Golf class. She would be late for school so I had to clear it with her parents and they were on board since she was going to be presented with the First Tee Participant of the Year Award. This is a great honor and I am glad we were able to coordinate it so our homeschoolers could see what is possible when you take full advantage of our program offerings.
After receiving her award, Jayda was gracious in sharing her thoughts with the junior golfers and even took time to visit with the teen golfers in the group.
Question: How did you get involved with golf? Response: I started at the age of 5 because my older sister was playing golf. She actually stopped but I fell in love with the game. It was attractive to me and came natural. I tried gymnastics and soccer but they were not for me. My Dad actually wanted us to play cricket ..he is from Trinidad and cricket is big there.. but he also fell in love with the game. Question: How would you describe your golf journey in one sentence? Response: That's hard. Never ending, it's a constant journey of just pushing forward. Question: When did you meet Coach Glen? Response: My first golf coach actually retired to become a police officer. A close family friend suggested we meet Coach Glen. I was 12 at the time. When I go off to college, I am going to miss hearing him telling me I'm doing it wrong and I need to get better. Seriously, we need someone to tell us when we are doing things wrong. His instruction is very helpful and I will admit that I did not always listen to it. I really did not like him at first. I actually hated him because he would not let me swing my driver which was my favorite club. In all honesty, my swing was a real problem and it was aggravating back issues that I already had due to my scoliosis. When I finally got the driver back, I realized I didn't need it my bag. Our relationship has since developed from coach-student into kind of father-daughter. He and my Dad are close friends which is a blessing and a curse. They like to "tag team bully me" when I need it the most. Question: What is your biggest challenge in golf? Response: The mental game is the toughest for me. The competitions are hard and sometimes I have a hard time pressing through the tough holes. I actually took a break after the last high school season ended. It gave me a new outlook about the game. I am still open to playing college golf but I know I need to strengthen my mental toughness to successful. I do know that I am not leaving the golf community. I have met so many people on the golf course from playing and being a caddy. First Tee really opens doors. I may even get my PGA card and teach as a side gig.
Question: What encouragement do you have for younger golfers?
Response: Don't give up playing golf. Other kids are going to ask why you are playing with some kind of tone like golf is not cool. They will try to convince you that golf is for old people and they are INCORRECT!!! I am not old and I can't say enough about how everything I have learned in golf actually carries over into my life and the decisions that I make. I had terrible public speaking skills as a freshman. I was closed off but now I am more open and I can relate to people a lot better. I have met business people who are leaders in the field while practicing and playing golf. I even volunteer for Coach Glen during his camps and that is something I never thought I would be able to do, never mind enjoy.
Question: Who is your favorite golfer?
Response: When I was younger it was Rickie but now it is Rory McIlroy. I have seen him a lot around Seminole where I caddy and he is really amicable. His personality is just like what you might perceive from interviews. I have had several opportunities to talk to him and each time he asked me questions to get to know me. On the LPGA, it has to be the Korda sisters, Jessica and Nelly. Coach has shown me videos of their swing so much, I have them engraved in my memory. They really have it down. Smooth like butter. I also like Minjee Lee. Question: Who was the first professional golfer that you met? Response: Harold Varner III. He signed my hat at the very first golf event I attended, The Honda Classic. I went with my uncle and he took me into the kid's area. I still have it. So many memories. I love this game. If you have had any kind of lesson with me, you know that I usually share resources with you that I believe will help you progress in your swing or help you overcome a flaw in your approach. I am vey passionate about staying healthy and keeping the body strong through exercise. I spend a fair amount of time working out so when I came across an article about Monty Python's silly walk I could not help but laugh. The reality is, we have only begun to truly understand how our body works and maybe we are overcomplicating things. If you are not familiar with the walk, the video and some facts about the health benefits follow, check them out and let me know what you think. If nothing else, you will have some fun doing it.
The team gathered data on 13 healthy adults aged 22 to 71 and tested the silly walking styles of both Mr. Teabag and another character in the Monty Python sketch, Mr. Putey. Only Mr. Teabag’s silly walks resulted in increased oxygen uptake, energy expenditure and exercise intensity. The study showed that physical activity recommendations for adults can be met by exchanging a mere 11 minutes a day of regular walking with Mr. Teabag’s silly walk. Click here to read full article
The TimberTech Championship is a golf tournament on the PGA Tour Champions which features PGA Players age 50+. This year First Tee invited some of our junior golfers to participate in a "behind the scenes tour" at the Royal Palm Yacht and Country Club in Boca Raton. Theo Consonni, Luke Sterijevski, Marina Sterijevski and Vivian Sterijevski were happy to accept the invitation. The golfers were treated to a backyard lunch followed by a guided tour which included a visit to ShotLink to view how scoring is recorded in a professional tournament. They also learned about the intricate details and planning that goes into setting up the course for the week long event. Afterwards, they watched the pros do what they do best. Bernhard Langer took home the trophy this year. Thank you so much again for the opportunity! Theo had a great time. Learning the behind the scenes, being able to get into the PGA tours mobile truck and learn about all the technology behind it. Also being able to get so close to some PGA players and watch their wonderful skills. Everything was very well organized and for sure an amazing and unforgettable experience. - Andrea C.
We had a lovely day at the TimberTech Championship. The behind the scenes tour was great. Marina said "it was really interesting to see how and where they do the scoring. " Vivian liked watching the professionals, but also like going behind the scenes as well. Luke said he especially liked watching the professionals drive because the ball goes so far! -Sascha S.
Mental clarity in golf is important. Celebrating after a good shot can be just as detrimental as getting aggravated over a bad shot. Both responses are emotional. The best golfers are usually very calm in how they respond to good and bad shots during a round.
When a player is emotionally grounded, they are able to think strategically about the next shot. Some common errors that can be made when you are making decisions through emotional lenses include:
While these tips seem to be helpful only when you are having a tough time, they should be applied when you are have a great round. Celebrating too early leads to poor decision making. Never become complacent on the golf course, always stay disciplined. If you happen to make it to the end with an awesome scorecard celebrate and leave it in the past. The next round of golf is a new challenge. Treat it that way!!
I have said this before but I will say it again. I love golf and I love what I do. I get to be outside and I get the opportunity to teach others how to play this game. Playing this game requires a lot of patience and discipline. I can teach you how to swing but I cannot teach you how to be patient with your progress. I'm sure you have heard the saying "Rome was not built in a day," but when it comes to golf too many people think they can become an overnight sensation after one lesson. I like to think that I do a good job of explaining the swing and highlighting areas that need attention in my student's swing but I am not a miracle worker. The hard work happens when you leave me. Do you practice deliberately? Meaning when you practice do you focus on the areas that I showed you in the lesson or do you just go back to your old ways of practicing? Are you changing your mindset about the swing or are you continuing to exhaust yourself by swinging at the ball instead of your target? Do you believe you can improve or are you constantly berating yourself? Are you trying to show off for others or are you focusing on your personal goals? Playing golf is supposed to be enjoyable. If you are not having fun then you are putting too much pressure on yourself. Golf is a game. Treat it that way. The question to ask is "How do I beat the course?" Too many golfers worry about beating their buddy. When you are stressed or getting angry, the course is beating you. How does an inadamant thing have the ability to beat a human with a brain? It doesn't but when you let your emotions take over, the course wins every time. Emotions are hard to manage, especially if you are a parent of a junior who wants to play golf competitively. The best advice I can give to those parents is to let their golfers enjoy the game. If they want to play in tournaments, encourage them to learn the rules of the game, get them out to play on course so they can strategize about how to beat the course and when they are struggling encourage them to think about what they have learned and apply that knowledge. Let your juniors drive their ambition and do your best to minimize your expectations.
I have taught many juniors who competed throughout high school but did not pursue it in college. It is not the end of world. The experience they gain on this golf journey will help them, no matter where life takes them. You can rest assured that they will not be calling me or any other coach in a panic because their boss invited them to play in a foursome next week. Yes, we absolutely get those calls. The key thing to remember whether you are pursing golf recreationally or competitively is to be realistic in your expectations. If you put in the right effort, progress will follow. Even more important, do not compare yourself to another golfer. Some golfers get certains pieces of the game easier than others. Some golfers need more time to change bad habits. Golf is a journey, a personal journey. Enjoy it!! |
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