The ULTIMATE Junior Giveaway

[GatorBait]

That's fine Tommy. No worries.

 

 

 

Tommy

age 14

grade 8th

 

Golfing has made me a much better person in a multitude of ways. It is not just a sport; it is a lesson in life. Just by playing golf, I have improved as a person in three main ways. It has made me work harder, it has given me better ways to act, and it has made me feel better about myself. Without golf, I would probably be one of those kids who just hang out doing nothing all day long, and find joy out of getting in trouble.

 

To get the ball rolling, golf has made me persevere on and off the course. Before I started playing golf, if a difficult situation came upon me, I would simply give up. I play in tournaments a lot, and as we all know, you don't always play to your full potential. By sticking to my game and not giving up, I often turn my game around and manage to post a decent score. I have learned from this outside of golf in a plethora of ways. If a challenge comes along, I know that if I try my hardest that the challenge will resolve itself.

 

Growing up as a boy, I would often get in trouble for acting rude to an adult or having a temper and making a bad situation worse. Even when I started playing golf I had a bit of a temper. This seemingly unbreakable habit got me in a lot of trouble on the course. After being penalized in a tournament for acting childish, I knew that I had to start acting better on the course. Since then, I have not even done a bad gesture on the course like getting mad and swearing, or something bigger, like throwing clubs. Ever since I realized that, not only have I been better on the course, but I have acted more like a young scholar off the course. Just by changing my attitude and behavior on the course, my whole life has improved.

 

Before I played golf, I was just a little kid six inches shorter than everyone else, and lacked self-confidence. There was really nothing special about me, sure I could play basketball well and I could run fast, but so could a million other kids in the world. In fourth grade, I started playing golf and by sixth grade I was pretty good. I got a lot of attention for my golf game and my results in tournaments. I'm now one of the best junior golfers in southwest Florida. I feel good about myself and my golf game and get recognized by other juniors as a really talented golfer.

 

Golf has helped me in countless ways. It was by far the best decision of my life to start playing this game. It has made me a better person by making me work harder, making me behave better, and it makes me feel better about myself. I don't know where I would be in life without it. Probably nowhere.

 

hey, GatorBait, just to let you know, my edit was to change the name i typed in, i put my last name as well as my first and went in and changed it to just my first. hope this doesn't DQ me for editing as i did nothing to change the actual text of the essay.

[The Chicken Connoisseur]

Can a 10 year old enter in this contest? I'd really like to have the oppurtunity to try to win a prize!

[GatorBait]

Can a 10 year old enter in this contest? I'd really like to have the oppurtunity to try to win a prize!

 

You sure can!

[birdiemachine11]

This is extremely nice of you. I am going to start writing this tonight.

[italianstallion]

bump for those who haven't seen this opportunity

[Gripit N Ripit 54]

First of all, i am still in shock of the opportunity GatorBait has offered. Your enthusiasm towards the topic and dedication to reading the responces says a lot about your character, and my hat goes off to you for that :friends: :hi:

 

First Name: Brian

 

Age: 17

 

Grade: Senior

 

Answer: "Describe why you believe the game of golf has made you a better person."

 

Since the year 2000, I have been a player in the game of golf. For years and years, I participated in what I thought was a nice way to kill time, meet people, get some fresh air, an insignificant yet fun activity to participate in life. Until only a few years I go, I realized golf was more than just a game, it was a way of life. Originally, I thought of golf as just something you can learn in life, but I discovered life is something you can learn though golf.

 

In the summer of 2000, my parents enrolled me in a program called The First Tee. It was a rather small organization at the time, and my chapter (Detroit), was only in its beginning years. Despite its size at the time, its mission was clear: Provide life lessons through the game of golf. And that’s exactly what it did. At the time of my enrollment, I was about to enter 5th grade (How cool I felt!). I was a very shy child, not very social, quiet, and was not labeled as a “people” person. I struggled with looking a stranger in the eye, shaking his or her hand, and confidently telling him “Hello, my name is Brian, what is your name?” Although my people skills were not “up to par”, my golf skills were. For a 5th grader, I was told I have a magnificent swing, and with hard work I could become a great golfer. Knowing this, I continued my enrollment in the program. I soon began to develop my golf skills at a higher and higher pace, but more importantly, the improvement in my social skills was far more impressive. I would look forward to meeting new people, just to get the opportunity to firmly shake their hand, look them in the eye, and tell them “Hello, my name is Brian, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” I felt comfortable in society and around other people. My golf skills were only something that could be displayed with a club in my hand, but my people skills I could display anywhere, and that’s what I liked the most.

 

The First Tee is centered on what they call the 9 Core Values. They are Honesty, Integrity, Sportsmanship, Respect, Confidence, Responsibility, Perseverance, Courtesy, and Judgment. These nine values are essential parts of the game of golf, but more importantly in life. It wasn’t until my high school years that I realized the importance and impact of these values. I became a very social person, set high standards for myself, and discovered the importance of life without these values, especially my sophomore year.

 

The First Tee also improved my golf game to a competitive level, as I made the high school team as a freshman. My sophomore year I was projected to be a top contributor for my golf team, as I had a very successful summer and start of the year. Suddenly, as if overnight, my golf game went into the rough. I couldn’t hit a golf ball straight to save my life. I went from shooting a few over par for 9 holes, to struggling to break 50. Whatever I did, I could not hit the golf ball straight. I felt like all the training I did in the offseason was a waste of time, and that I was not only letting my teammates down, I was letting myself down. I broke down one day, and considered ending my season early. Then I remembered what the First Tee had taught me, and that one of the nine core values was Perseverance. I decided to participate the rest of the season, despite of my poor performance. Looking back on it, it did benefit me, as I got to focus on my short game much more, and today has proven to be one of the best parts of my golf game. It was a moment like this that I realized what the First Tee had truly done for me.

 

On top of improving my golf course management, the nine core values shaped what would become the rest of my high school career. I decided to participate in my high school’s Student Leadership class; I joined other sports, did other clubs, and developed a sense of confidence, which is also one of the nine core values. The nine core values have spread their effect on more than the golf course, but also to my grades and achievements in high school, by maintaining a 3.5+ GPA all 4 years and being named to various prestigious events and opportunities. The Nine Core Values can be applied to nearly every aspect of my life.

 

The game of golf itself has its own standards of expectations for behavior, which I feel by themselves can work wonders for an individual. However I feel with the strong influence of The First Tee and their Nine Core Values, the game of golf has become more than just something to work towards and better myself on the course, but off the course. The First Tee gave me so much that I cannot help but return the favor. I have now become a coach to the program, sharing my experiences and knowledge with younger members of the program. I hope to pass on the effect that The First Tee had on me on to even more of my peers and younger participants of The First Tee. To not donate my time and resources to a program that has done so much for me, would be a failure on my part.

 

The game of golf has surely made me a better person. On top of giving me a healthy activity to participate in, it has provided me with life lessons that have now shaped me into who I am. Without The First Tee and the game of golf, I wouldn’t be nearly as successful as I have been with my achievements both on and off the golf course. To me, golf has not been a game, but more a continuing life lesson.

 

Thanks again for your time and tremendous opportunity GatorBait. I also look forward to reading my fellow juniors' responces.

 

Brian

[brady2]

First Name: Payton Grubbs

 

Age: 14

 

Grade: 8th

 

My Experience

 

Throughout my experience with golf I have been able to meet new people and develop strong friendships with those around me. I have been playing golf since I was five years old thanks to my dad getting me started with the game. It is my favorite sport by a long shot and something I want to pursue into college and hopefully a professional career. I have been blessed with good people to surround me and help me grow in the game of golf. I have not always been able to get the equipment I’ve wanted or play in certain tournaments due to life situations and tough economic times for my family. I find golf to be much more than just a game, it is an opportunity to both prove yourself as a quality person and as an athlete.

 

During my sixth grade year, I was deemed ineligible to participate on our middle school's golf team. My grades were not up to par my second semester grade report. It was very hard to cope with the fact that I could not play. When I would go to the course after school and see my friends out there practicing with the team, I felt like I was not living my life to the fullest. Ever since elementary school, I have dreamt of playing competitive golf and it was my main goal to make the team. I felt like I let down everyone who has had an impact on my life by not being able to play. Worst of all, I let my dad down.

 

My dad has been with me every step of the way in my learning process to play the game. He is always giving me pointers and correcting my faults when I do wrong. I used to have a bad attitude towards mishit golf shots, but once again my dad was there to help me correct that problem. He always says, "Now son, a bad day on the golf course is better than a good day at work." So from then on I always think about that quote when I mishit a shot and jus shrug my shoulders, chuckle, and move on to the next shot that lies ahead. My father and I spent many long days on the course together the Summer of my seventh grade year and shared many bonding moments. My dad did not show his disappointment in me because the only thing he wants is to see me succeed and be happy. This thought motivated me to work as hard as I could to make the golf team next year.

 

At the start of my seventh grade year, I made a promise to myself that I would apply myself to the best of my ability at school. Everyday after I got off the bus, I would run straight to the house and get started on my homework before I went to the golf course. This was a good motive for me to get my homework done. I also started asking questions in class for the first time because now I cared about school. My parents began to see an increase of my grades at a rapid rate. From sixth grade to seventh grade, I turned an F into an A. This allowed me to feel much better about myself and also a relief to my parents and grandparents.

 

Thanks to my efforts in the classroom, when the Spring season came around I was able to play! Spending time with my friends on the golf team was one of the best experiences of my life. Everyone around me was extremely proud of my accomplishment in the classroom and being able to participate on the golf team. This greatness transferred into the summer as well.

 

During the Summer of my eight grade year, many improvements were made and goals were achieved. I was asked to play in the men's golf league one Tuesday night and stood 250 yards away with my three wood in hand on a par five. I drained it straight into the cup for a double eagle! People I didn't even know were coming up to me and congratulating me on my accomplishment. I played with the men in C flight again in our club championship and won in a sudden death playoff. The guy I beat in the playoff happened to be the same guy in my group when I made the double eagle. He is a very lucky friend of mine. Without my hard work and perseverance, I would not have been given the opportunity to experience these moments.

 

Golf has made me a better person because it has made me get my priorities in order and on the right track. With this added motivation in the classroom, I am able to do the things I love without having to worry about what other people think of me or not being able to participate in certain activities. When I made the team my seventh grade year, I was congratulated by my dad which meant the world to me. I appreciate the opportunity to be able to participate in this contest. I'm glad there are people out there like you that give kids this opportunity to those who are less fortunate. Thank you for taking your time to hear about how golf has had an impact on all of our lives.

 

Payton Grubbs

[obsessedgolfer]

How do you guys attach the file, because I tried to attach mine and when I clicked upload all I got an error message saying that I cant upload the type of file (a word document).

[Baraethon]

It can't be an OpenOffice document, if that is what you have. You have to save as .doc

[obsessedgolfer]

I couldn't figure out how to attach the file so here is my entry for the junior essay contest.

(P.S Oklahoma was some good Gator Bait :yahoo: )

 

 

 

Angad

14 years old

8^th Grade

Golf, My Teacher

 

 

If you had a choice to make millions of dollars and live a glamorous lifestyle or to take away that life style because of an obscure rule, would you penalize yourself or take the money? PGA players face these types of decisions all the time because golf is the only sport in which you are your referee. Playing the game of golf has given me a very positive experience and helped me learn many things such as honesty, confidence, and courtesy.

 

Honesty is an absolutely integral part of playing a succeeding at the game of golf, because it is the only game were you are the referee. When I first started playing golf I did not care about the rules or being honest, but after 4 years I have learned that like school and many other things, the only person that is cheated when you do cheat is yourself. Not only have I learned to be honest on the golf course, but the trait has transferred to all aspects of my life, most importantly school where there are so many opportunities to cheat and be dishonest. I have learned not to participate in dishonest activities in school because in doings so I would be robbing myself of a good education.

 

Confidence goes hand in hand with playing golf; this is shown in Tiger Woods who has shown the world that anything is possible if you believe in yourself, when he won the U.S. Open on a bad Knee. Lots of times when playing golf I am paired up with someone that I barely know for 5 hours, to approach the person you are paired up with it takes lots of confidence in yourself. I have found that the confidence that I have developed through playing golf has really helped me in other aspects of my life, by making me more outgoing and friendly.

 

When playing golf it is important to be courteous not only to the people around you but also to the course where you play. Through playing golf I have learned that it is nice to be polite to the people around you because they will most likely do the same for you. I practice this on the golf course by being quite and not fidgeting when you see other people taking a shot, which is harder than you might think. I try to leave the course better than when I came by picking up and replacing my divots (chunks of grass which are dislodged after a shot), this not only keeps the course in good shape, but it also makes someone else's job easier. Now if only I could make my Mom's job easier by cleaning my room.

 

In conclusion golf has been more than a game to me it has been like a teacher to me. I have learned many life lessons and have had a very positive experience playing golf. Hopefully I will continue to play golf for a very long time, and learn even more life lessons while I am at it.

 

Thank You For This Wonderful Opportunity and I wish you a successful season on the links

[Nadir]

This is midterm week at my high school, but there is no way I'm passing this up. I'll make time. Thanks so much for the offer it is extremely generous of you.

[NCJaguar5]

This is midterm week at my high school, but there is no way I'm passing this up. I'll make time. Thanks so much for the offer it is extremely generous of you.

Exact same situation for me! I know times definitely aren't easiest right now, especially economically, so for you to take the time to create this opportunity for juniors is truly an honorable thing. Best wishes.

[lilhellmaker17]

Midterms here as well. Glad I did this earlier!

[whitepatch342]

Shane Kennedy

15

10th Grade

 

The game of golf has taught many people many lessons. Despite only golfing for three years I have learned so many valuable lessons that I use on a daily basis. Every year I have learned something different that has positively affected me. I started out with my dad not knowing the difference between par and bogey and my small hundred dollar junior set by Powerbilt. I didn't know what "walking through a player's line" meant but tried to follow proper behavoir on the golf course. But I immediately had a love for the game which sent golf into my future.

 

During my first year of golf I struggled but at the same time improved dramatically. I would go the practice green on hot summer days and putt and chip for hours on end looking for any possible way to devlop a better chip shot or become a better putter. I really wanted to become better and it eventually paid off at my last junior tournament of the year in which I shot my personal best 41 and came in third place. This one expierence applied to my everyday life where I became a better basketball player, recieved better grades and felt more energized.

During my second year I beat down golf ball after golf ball in the blustery cold of winter. Despite this I had an awful start to the year but had a great finish and became a scratch player. My mind really strengthened during this time period as I was previously the John Macenroe of golf even though a lot of us can attest to that. I became a calm player in a zone but enjoyed my surrondings much more. I really came to appreciate the game.

 

I am in my third year and I can't wait to begin. Golf has given me the sport I always wanted. I believe golf has taught me that every challenge in life is 50 percent skill but the other 50 percent is mind. I have applied this philosophy that I learned to every aspect of life and overall as made me a better person. I have since given up every sport I played because golf has given me too much to turn down. The most important thing golf has given me though is a challenge everyday. Everyday I wake up to try and become a better golfer which has been a lot of fun over my short career.

 

 

Lastly- Thank you so much for the oppurtunity espically considering all situations. I love what you are doing and I hope I am able to do something similar when I get older.

[907golfer12]

First Name: Alex

 

Age: 16

 

Grade: 10th

 

Answer:

 

Golf as a whole is a great game, no matter how young or old you are you can be outside in the sun, getting exercising, meeting new people and learning important lessons that can lead to a better life. I have only been playing golf since May of two-thousand seven, but in the span I have made great strides. I have gone from a complete beginner to someone who has a good change of playing competitively in college.

 

Golf has taught me many important life skills, ranging from discipline to tolerance, and many things in-between. Not only has golf taught me lost of life skills, it has also given me something to do after school, something that keeps me away from drugs, alcohol, and other negative things in life. To go along with those many important things golf has taught me, it has also given me something to strive for, something that keeps me on track. And finally golf has taught me to be more mature.

 

Growing up in Alaska, there is a 4 month golf season, and only 4 or 5 kids in my age group that play golf seriously. Because of this, I play most of my rounds with adults, and being around these people has caused me to act much more mature then my age, I pride myself as acting like an adult no matter where I go. As I said, I live in Alaska, where the golfing season is very short, and not long ago I thought of an idea.

 

An aunt of mine lives in Eugene, Oregon, where the golf season is much longer, and courses are in overall better shape. I felt if I were in this kind of environment that I would have a better chance of playing college golf and improving my game. I went to my mother with the proposition of going down to live with my aunt, going to school in Eugene and basically living on my own. My aunt works from 10 in the morning to 8 in the evening, and she doesn’t get up earlier then 8. While living there I would have to get myself to and from school, feed myself, and entertain myself. My mother was hesitant to agree to my proposition, but she said if I could prove to her I was ready then I could go.

 

In order to prove I was ready I had to show that I could make my own food, get my self to and from activities, and other things required to live on your own. I found these things easy to prove to my mother as I do many of these things already. The biggest thing was in middle school I wasn’t the best student, but this was before I played golf, I started the summer between 8th and 9th grade. Once I started high school school seemed easier, I was getting much better grades, and I had more fun. At the end of the first semester I was getting straight A’s, but I still felt that regular school was not for me.

 

I convinced my mom to let my home-school, online. There were worries that I would get distracted with the internet and no supervision during school time. But it is now early second semester of my sophomore year and I have almost completed my first two years of high school. This has caused my mother to agree to let me go to Oregon and let me pursue college and professional golf.

 

If it were not for golf I feel that I would be struggling to make it by in school and not have anything to do after school. Along with helping me get by in school, I think that golf has kept me from doing drugs and getting into things I shouldn’t be doing. All of that is the maturity that I am very proud of. But golf as also taught me life skills like perseverance and humility.

 

During my short lived golf career I have learned to be disciplined, perseverant, honest, humble, and a plethora of skills. In order to get to the places I want to get to in golf I have to be disciplined to practice, even if there is other “fun” things, or if it gets boring.

 

I have learned perseverance because at first you can’t always hit shots, or beat someone, or score great. Also, I have learned that I can’t always have the best clubs. Sometimes I have to wait it out to get money for myself to buy the clubs, or wait for them to go on sale.

 

In golf you call penalties on your self, you can’t brag to everyone about everything that you do, and you need to give respect to get it. If you move a ball when your not supposed to, you get a penalty, but if you don’t call it on yourself and someone finds out you get disqualified. If you go around telling everyone how great you are they won’t want to play with you, or even say they know you. Finally if you step in someone’s line, or talk while they are swinging then people will do the same to you and it could mess up your play.

 

I could go on for days about this, but knowing you probably have lots of essays to write I’ll end it quick. I have learned many things through golf, and continue to learn more through out the rest of my life. Thank you for your time, and offer in this contest, may the best writer win.

[Top Dog]

Thanks for the oppertunity.

[golferjoey3]

Joey

15

Sophomore

 

Golf is a short word yet it is a word that for many can mean many different things. Personally, it has affected my life in a profound way in that it has made me ten times more confident in myself. In the last five years since I took up golf seriously, I have gone from someone that was to afraid to talk to many people, to someone who is willing to do almost anything, all thanks to golf. Getting better at golf has given me an immense amount of confidence in myself, a debt that I will never be able to repay.

 

If you had walked into my sixth grade classroom and looked at me you would have seen a child who was smarter with books than people. This showed in my confidence, simply because not many people would talk to me, and I had convinced myself I had nothing to offer. These aren’t the kind of people who generally succeed in the world. So despite the fact that I was smarter than most people, I probably wouldn’t have done much with my life, it wouldn’t have been for golf.

 

As it became clear to me that I wouldn’t succeed in the other sports I played simply because I didn’t feel I was a good enough athlete, I turned to golf as a last ditch attempt at athletic success. It was definitely a good decision because golf has turned my life around. Starting from the bottom with an early 6th grade scoring average of somewhere in the 110’s, I decided that I wanted to play golf in college. Now for most of you reading this, that seems like someone who was most likely out of his mind. After several years of hard work (and help from a couple of high quality golf professionals) that dream is not only possible, but highly likely. Not only has my golf game improved, but also so has my life as a whole. In my sophomore year of high school I am the best golfer in my class, and one of the top in the school. Something that most of my class will respect more than someone who has their head stuck in a book. My confidence level has improved drastically as friends are more plentiful, and I am in general happier with what I have accomplished at this point in my life. All complete reversal of roles one might say, all thanks to golf.

 

On a side note, golf has given me many great friends, friends that are closer than any that I have met at school. When you play in as many golf tournaments as I do, you make connections with people that are not only from around your home, but from around the world as well. In a recent tournament that I played in, I played four rounds with a kid from Mexico, and two rounds with a kid from Paraguay. Now chances are I wouldn’t have made those connections had I sat at school studying.

 

For many people golf is a game to be enjoyed on a weekend, but for me it means a whole lot more than that. Golf for me represents a change in my way of life, as well as a fun game to be enjoyed. Now I hate to repeat what I have already said, but I can’t emphasize enough how golf has changed my outlook on life, and my life as a whole.

 

 

On behalf of myself and the rest of the juniors on this forum I would like to say thanks.

[PinSeeker34]

Thank you so much for doing this! I wish there were more people in the world like you. I know when I get older I want give back like you.

[Gripit N Ripit 54]

907golfer12, I really enjoyed reading your story....from one participant to another =]

 

Brian

[907golfer12]

907golfer12, I really enjoyed reading your story....from one participant to another =]

 

Brian

 

Thanks, I appreciate it.

[Southside Striker]

Thank you for this wonderful opportunity! Although a busy January has been a busy month, I could not let an opportunity like this pass by.

 

Name: Jay B.

Age: 16

Grade: Sophomore

[HartridgeKing]

First, I'd like to thank you for this amazing opportunity. It is great that someone would do this for the juniors.

I have been very busy with midterms, numerous projects, and my national honor society application.

 

Name: Lane

Age: 16

Grade: Junior

How Golf Has Positively Influenced My Life

 

For some, golf is just a sport people play to waste some time and an excuse to get out of the house and away from the family for a while. Some people play golf for the love of the outdoors, while others play golf just for the fun of it. However, I play golf for a different reason; I play because it every single day it teaches me proper ways to live my life through its many subtle and often overlooked lessons.

 

The first day I had ever heard of this game called golf, it was because my dad was watching a golf tournament on the television. I absolutely hated him hogging the TV to watch a long, boring sport where a bunch of funny dressed guys whack at some white balls and try to hit them into a tiny hole in the ground. I would beg and beg my dad to change the channel, because I absolutely hated this sport. There was nothing better to do around the house, so I was forced to watch the last painful hour of the tournament. It turns out some guy named after a cat got to wear an ugly jacket of some sort for winning.

 

About two years later my mom was gone on a business trip and my dad had to watch over me. It turns out that weekend my father had a golf tournament to play in and he didn’t want to hire a babysitter for a ten year old so he made me go to the tournament, against my will. Luckily for me, I got to drive my dad’s golf cart, which was a scary ride for him to say the least. After successfully getting the cart stuck in a muddy area, I was taken back to the clubhouse and given an old putter to mess around with on the putting green.

For the rest of the afternoon I putted my way around the green, struggling to get the ball in the hole, even from a few feet away. I would look at other people sinking putts left and right and it angered me, but it also triggered me to try harder. I would start to think to myself that I was going to miss my next putt, and the negative thinking was bad for me as well. Finally, I figured out that if I said to myself that I could make it, I had a much better chance. This relates to anything that you do in life, always think that you can accomplish it. By the end of the day, I had gotten a lot better. This day, which started out with me being reluctant to go, ended up with me starting my long addiction to golf.

 

That fall I expressed interest in golf with my dad. He said that he’d buy me a starter set of golf clubs. The day after he bought them for me, we went to the course for my first real day of golf. The first couple holes, I was having quite a bit of fun, but when we got to the fourth hole, things changed. I whiffed four straight times on my second shot from the fairway, and out of anger I cussed and threw my club…right into the top of a tree. It was not coming down anytime soon. I looked around and noticed everyone was staring at me and I was quite embarrassed, as was my father. It was something I would never forget and it taught me to harness my anger both on and off the course or else I would flat out embarrass myself and the people around me. I also learned from that incident that I need to treat things that are given to me with respect.

 

The rest of the round I played badly, but I never freaked out again and I managed to have some fun. On the last hole of our round I was struggling, but I made a fifteen foot putt. I was so happy it made me want to play again the next day. The next couple of summers I played when I wasn't busy with other sports like baseball and football. I didn’t get better at golf during that time though.

 

Then a few years later when I became a freshman, I tried out for the golf team and didn't really know what to expect. The first practice I looked around and noticed that my clubs weren't nearly as nice as some of the others. One hot shot senior even gave me a hard time about my clubs, but I didn’t really care about his comments. All I cared about was getting on the course and trying to beat him.

 

When we went out as a team to the driving range for the first time I was a little bit nervous. I hadn’t hit golf balls in about half a year, and oh boy did it ever show. First a hook, then a slice, and then I’d top that off with a shank. I was getting frustrated, but I had learned my lesson before. I wanted to be on varsity, so I figured the only way to get on it was to work hard and practice a lot. I figured out that to get better in anything, you have to try your hardest and practice at it until you get it perfect. Every day I was the last person to leave the course.

 

Pretty soon tryouts came. I was excited to try to get on varsity finally because I hoped my hard work had paid off. I had a good round, and was staying calm and thinking positive about what was happening. When I was on the last hole, one of my friends from another group told me that if I got a bogey or better on the last hole, I was on varsity. The last hole was a 510 yard downhill par five that had water guarding the front of the green. I hit a great drive down the fairway, but then decided to “go for it” when the smart decision was to lay up, but I never laid up. I hit my shot in the water and proceeded to record a double bogey and thought I would miss the cut for varsity. It turned out that the hot shot senior that shot one better than me was caught cheating, which bumped me up to varsity. I learned two lessons on that day. One was I learned that I didn’t have to always risk it, when the risk highly outweighed the reward. The other was not to ever cheat on anything because you’ll end up getting caught, and you’re only cheating yourself. I gained much needed experience over that season of varsity golf, but I wasn't done yet.

 

Over the summer I went to the golf course nearly every day working on my game and then at night I’d go to the weight room and lift. I was making sure I was trying my hardest to be the best on the team at golf, and hopefully the best in the conference. During the winter, I went to the indoor driving range weekly. Since, I had gotten a lot better at the game since I had got my first set of golf clubs; I wanted to get new clubs that fitted me better. I figured that if I wanted something, I was going to be independent and get a job and earn it. After working for two months I was able to purchase my own golf clubs and it made my parents proud that I paid for them myself.

 

The spring of my sophomore year I was ready. I became the number one man on varsity, but I still stayed at the course until I was the last one. Our golf program is decent sized, and we only have one coach for both the boys and girls. Our golf coach told me that she needed my help in helping some of the kids as she couldn't help all of them at once. So I stepped up and helped the others before working on my own game. The team really started to bond and play well together and I was their leader. I won my first three golf meets of the year individually and as a team. Everyone kept getting better and by the end of the year we just missed states by a couple strokes.

 

Golf has been a sport that keeps me busy in the summertime and gets me out of the house. Most people don’t realize that golf means more to me than that. Golf has taught me many, many lessons that apply to golf as well as life. It has influenced me to become a better person with all of the lessons it has taught me so far, but I know that golf will teach me many more lessons in the years to come.

 

Once again, thanks for the opportunity!!!

[HartridgeKing]

I edited my post above because I tried to attach my paper, but it didn't work out so I just copy and pasted it.

Thanks

[GatorBait]

JUST A REMINDER

 

If you plan on participating in this competition, YOU HAVE approximately ONE DAY LEFT. The absolute not-flexible deadline is TOMORROW (Saturday January 31st) at 12:00pm NOON (on the east coast). I repeat, NO answer will be accepted after that exact time. Thank you.

[Jer-Jer]

I had this in a word document but it wouldn't attach for some reason? Here goes nothing...tongue: :D

 

First Name: Jeremy

Age: 16

Grade: 11th

 

The game of golf is interesting one to say the least. It is only a four letter word, yet it means so much to me and many other people throughout the world. Before I start to delve into the topic, let me give you a little background information on me and this “game” I have mentioned above.

 

I, like many other younger boys, loved to play sports. I played pretty much every sport there is. I never played football though; I was much too small and too much of a baby. I played baseball in the spring, soccer in the fall, and basketball in between during the winter. I eventually quit baseball because I really did not enjoy it as much as the other sports. Basketball was the next sport to go because games were on Saturday and that was really the only day I could golf. I had school Monday through Friday and church on Sunday. I was always asking my parents if I could go golfing after the games. Soccer was the last sport I did away with as it became too much for me and golf was my true passion. It indeed was my passion then, but it was not before.

 

I really did not know much about golf when I was young. I never watched it on television or experienced it at all. I guess I could say that my first real exposure to the game came when I was about nine years old, maybe ten. My dad purchased me a set of little junior clubs from Wal-Mart and so it begun. My father and I played a round of golf with my uncle who was, and still is, an avid golfer. I probably shot in the 100’s; it was nothing spectacular to say the least.

 

I previously stated “and so it begun” but maybe I was jumping the gun a bit. That was my first time playing but my love for the game did not start there. It all started when I watched a guy name Eldrick put his ball in the hole in fewer shots than all the other guys at two tournaments; the 2002 Masters and the 2002 U.S. Open. I was hooked. He amazed me with his innate and uncanny ability for greatness. Of course I did not know what those words meant then, but you get the idea. I had wanted to be like Mike for the longest time, but now it was all about being like Tiger. I asked my parents and they agreed to pay for some lessons for me at the local muni. It was a series of five lessons with the head pro on basically the basics of golf. To this day those are the only lessons I have had and I currently am playing to a 1.0 handicap. The rest is history.

 

Now let us get back to the topic of this essay. For me to tell you how golf has made me a better person I would need to go find a publisher; it would be a novel as I have far too many things to discuss. So for time’s sake, I will give you the short version. I am a better man (young adult if you wish) than I was previously due to golf. I have learned patience. My biggest challenge has been coping with myself when I hit shots poorly that I expect to hit well because I know I can. When I do not succeed at this seemingly easy feat, I get upset. I need to practice patience in these situations. I have also learned to control my temper better. Not harness it, but control it. I wear my emotions on my sleeve when I play. I do not see how one cannot; especially when you hit easy shots poorly or even worse, terribly. I have learned honesty. It is easy to cheat in this game and I have before. But when I read a book about Bobby Jones it changed my whole outlook on cheating. I now try to be a person with integrity and honesty, as I mentioned before. There are countless other virtues that I have learned and try to apply in my daily life. The three I have mentioned before are the ones I struggled and struggle with the most. I do not consider myself a good person as we all fall short of that unattainable goal, but I will say this: Without golf I truly would not be who I am today.

[Samsquanch]

GatorBait, Someone is really going to appreciate this. Thank you very much. The word document didn't upload, so I will copy and paste.

 

Name: Devon

Age: 15

Grade: 10

 

Why the Game of Golf has made me a Better Person

 

The community I live in is not great for kids growing up. Since there is not a lot to do here, most of them get into drugs and alcohol, and forget what is most important for them.

 

Throughout elementary and middle school, I had a group of friends that would always stick around together. They all had cool hobbies, like painting or playing the guitar. I didn’t really have a hobby, maybe pretending to drive my Dad’s truck.

 

Over the past few years, I’ve seen these friends get into drinking, smoking, and making some not so smart decisions. It’s sad to see that happen to them. Even though it might just be a phase, a lot of people end up with some serious problems from it. Luckily, a few years before this all started happening, I got into golf.

 

In grade 5, my dad signed me up for golf lessons on my spring break. I was angry because I didn’t know much about golf, and thought it was the lamest, most boring sport to ever be invented, only played by old people. I maybe was a little ignorant, and that first time I made contact with the ball I was addicted for good.

 

That summer, and the next, and the next, if someone needed to find me I was almost guaranteed to be around the golf course. The things like playing road hockey, video games, and biking, all became second priority to me. Problems came when my friends invited me out to play hockey and things like that, and I would lie to them saying something I had chores to do. I would really be going golfing, and I found out the hard way that lying usually isn’t the best way to getting out of things I didn’t want to do.

 

Over the past few years, I’ve played quite a few tournaments. When a person is under pressure, they can learn a lot about themselves. Personally, I’ve found out that I recover well after a bad hole, but I’ve found that after a few birdies I tend to love my focus thinking “If I par out, I’ll shoot under par!” Or something like that. Those thoughts can make a good round go bad. Things that someone learns about himself or herself on the course can usually be thought about off the golf course as well. After a bad tournament, I may be a little disappointed for a few hours, but the fact that I play to have fun settles in.

 

Golf is so interesting in a lot of different ways. When someone is paired with a stranger on the first tee, they never really know what the person is like until they maybe tell you a story or give you advice, whether it’s golf related or not. I was playing with a man once who was telling me about his experience at war. Things like that definitely show someone to always be respectful, even to strangers.

 

Luckily, I had the opportunity to see the Telus Skins Game last June. It was a lot of fun and I learned a lot watching all of the players, but a few things surprised me. Mike Weir and Fred Couples were the ones I expected to be the nicest. In fact, it was the total opposite off the camera. They were like totally different people, and I ended up losing a lot of respect for them. It was only one day after the US Open, so it was understandable for them to be a little tired, but having a bad attitude at a skins game was especially disappointing. On the other side, I expected Colin Montgomerie to be a little gruff, but he was really nice to talk to and seemed like any other person. People aren’t always what they seem to be on TV.

 

Watching players on TV like David Toms, Phil Mickelson, Arnold Palmer, Steve Stricker and people like them has taught me how to act appropriately on and off the golf course with their demeanor and the way they act. Even if that’s only how they portray themselves on television, they are great role models to follow.

 

By putting me down the right path, teaching me life lessons, meeting great people, and watching great players, golf has certainly made me a better person. I look forward to playing this game for the rest of my life.

[NCJaguar5]

Many thanks to GatorBait for this wonderful opportunity, as well as all competitors for sharing their stories and experiences. Good luck to everybody (but not too much ;) )

 

Name: Will

Age: 18

Grade: 12

 

It had been a long day for me at Stonebridge Golf Club. I was 40-something over par, and I was only on the 15th hole. The late September sun cast long shadows across the tee box of the short par 3, but the unseasonably humid air was tempered by a slight breeze. It was my first “real” round of golf (outside of the par 3 course), and I was struggling. The 130 yard hole played over a small lake to a three tiered green, so a 6-iron was a foregone conclusion. When I first swung, I looked directly to the lake expecting to see a splash, but to my surprise there was none. I realized that, for the first time in my golfing career, I had hit a green in regulation. As we approached the green, the ball turned out to be no more than 3 feet from the flag!

 

While this may not seem like the most notable anecdote, what happened next was a perfect microcosm of why golf has the ability to humble the best of us. I left a three foot downhill slider short. How I did it, I’ll never know, but in the process of missing one of the easiest chances I’ve ever had at birdie I almost snapped my putter in half (literally!) Once I was finished sulking, I looked over to my dad and grandfather to see little more than disappointment on their faces. They weren’t disappointed in my making par, only in my behavior. And, in that moment, I realized just how important good decorum is on the golf course, and just how significant and instructive a game it can be.

 

Golf has made me a better person in numerous ways, none more important than instilling within me the value of patience. As almost any golfer can attest, this game will try one’s ability to remain calm at every turn. What separates those who will be successful from those who will struggle lies in their ability (or inability) to deal with tribulation. This isn’t to say that I have completely overcome my struggles with patience, but I have noticed a severe drop in the number of mistreated golf clubs in my bag over the past three years. This has reflected on my life outside of golf, in that I don’t get a hot head nearly as easily (especially in traffic), nor do I tend to get as frustrated if a proof in statistics won’t quite work out. Developing patience through the medium of golf has bettered me as a person, and I see the results in my daily life (I’ve even been able to suffer through a disappointing season for my favorite team, the Jacksonville Jaguars, without seriously injuring myself and/or the TV).

 

Learning hard work is something that happens slowly but surely, and I have found in golf a great outlet to develop hard work. For example, I have worked odd jobs, side projects, and completed others’ “honey-do lists” in order to afford my current clubs. My family is not the best off, so anything I add to my bag has to come out of my wallet. While some would resent this, I appreciate my parents not giving me an easy way out, but instead forcing me to work for something I truly wanted. This has rubbed off in my school work, as I am Student Body Vice President, a member of the National Honor Society, and have been accepted at UNC Chapel Hill and Wake Forest University. This is in no way meant to be an egocentric statement, but simply concrete evidence of how golf has molded me into a hard worker.

 

In the same vein as hard work, golf has taught me to maximize my time. I don’t have the luxury of playing every day, or really even more than once or twice a month until golf season starts at my high school. This forces me to give absolute focus to every shot on the golf course, every swing at the driving range, and every putt on the practice green. This has given me an unusual ability to focus on the task at hand and ignore any distractions. I can sit for hours at a time working on schoolwork and not realize any time has passed until I finish. I am hoping this will also allow me to succeed in college academically, while also having an incredible experience socially.

 

Taking care of 14 clubs isn’t the most incredibly taxing job in the world. A good wash and dry from time to time will keep your clubs in good condition and always ready for a round. And yet, in taking care of my clubs, I have developed the value of responsibility that has revealed itself in other areas. My clubs are the most valuable product I own, so I am constantly babying them, making sure nothing befalls them, and trying to keep them out of untrained hands (other than mine). However, as I dote on my clubs, I have developed an equally responsible outlook towards the rest of my possessions, as well the possessions of others.

 

Everyone has at least one funny story from the golf course, whether it is a buddy falling backwards into a pond, or a ball caroming off the cart path to three feet. For me, it happened with an uphill approach to a two tiered green. After a week of solid rain, my ball naturally plugged an inch into the “face” of the tier. I could’ve been upset at a ruined round, but instead I chose to laugh at the unusual occurrence, and shake it off. This is another way golf has made me a better person: I have learned that taking one’s self too seriously can ultimately be detrimental to your mental and physical well being. Sometimes it’s best to simply take a step back and have a good laugh. That isn’t to say that losing one’s focus is good, but rather simply that a good equilibrium in a golf round will lead to better scores and a better experience.

 

On the other hand, there is also something to be said for acting your age (or older than your age). In a recent casual round, I was pared with a complete stranger. He was lightyears ahead of me skill-wise, but as it soon turned out, maturity-wise he was lacking. After shanking his opening drive, he slammed the club into the ground, in an obvious attempt to expel the shank-demons from his club for all of eternity. This scene repeated itself numerous times throughout the round (apparently his exorcism skills were lacking), culminating with a Blackhawk-like helicopter throw of the driver into the pond on 17. Needless to say I was rather nonplussed, and have made attempts to avoid another round with him in the future. Of course, I haven’t entirely overcome the tempting option of outward anger, but after this experience, I have taken steps to learn how to internalize my frustrations from the round and release them in a calm manner. There is the adage of never losing one’s youth, but at the same time it can be helpful at times to find one’s inner adult.

 

Finally, golf has taught me to be truly thankful for everything that I have. I played a round with a man two years ago who was playing on a mismatched set of golf clubs that were probably manufactured in the Nixon administration. His ball-striking was impeccable, his short game was spot on, and his demeanor was unwavering. The only reason I was able to stay within three shots of him on each hole was the fact that my equipment was made from titanium, not persimmon. I later found out he is actually a homeless man that lives near the course, and is allowed to play for free every weekday. His clubs were originally his father’s, and although players have offered him their old clubs, he steadfastly refuses every time. There is no doubt in my mind that he would set and shatter the course record in a matter of days, given the proper equipment, but he remains devoted to the memory of his father. It is truly an unprecedented time to be growing up in the game of golf, with more technological innovations than ever before. While some prove to be little more than overhyped press, there is a significant amount of equipment available that will truly allow lesser players (such as myself) to enjoy the game more fully.

 

Stonebridge Golf Club will never host a US Open. It will never be mistaken for Pebble Beach, nor will Tiger ever grace its fairways in pursuit of more Wedgewood for the mantle. Heck, I’d be surprised if it could even host a Hooters Tour event. And yet, in spite of its shortcomings Stonebridge remains in my mind as the origin of my (short) golfing career, and one of the fondest memories of my life.

[JJGolfer]

Thank you for this opportunity, it allowed me to give real thought to what the game means to me. i knew i loved it, but know i know i cant live without it.

[bjackson]

GaitorBait,

 

Thank you very much for this opportunity. I cannot be grateful enough for your efforts towards supporting junior golf. It is very honorable of you to have a contest like this.

 

--bjackson

 

First Name: Ben

Age: 18

Grade:12

Answer:

[PAjunior90]

Gator,

 

This opporunity that you have presented us juniors with is out of this world. You are an incredible person. I can't thank you enough.