After the tournament in Oklahoma City, our assistant coach asked what I was doing the next day. I said I had nothing planned. He told me to come out to a local course where he would work with me on my golf swing. Since my golf game was worse than it had ever been, I thought some more help couldn't hurt.
I went out to the course the next day and was ready to work. The assistant coach worked with me on a new swing. He also had a former Oklahoma Christian golfer help with what he was teaching me. After about an hour of hard work on the driving range, I was excited about where my golf game was headed.
I practiced the rest of the semester on this new swing. Instead of hitting shots that were push-hooks, I was trying to hit low-fades. This was a drastic change which I knew would not be easy to get used to. From September 29th to mid-November I just worked on this new swing. Slowly but surely, my misses began to get smaller and smaller. I was beginning to hit the ball a little straighter. I still wasn't playing that well, but I was playing better than I had the past few months. Most of the semester was spent working on this new swing. I was determined to get my golf game ready for the Spring semester.
When mid-November came, I was ready for a break. I had probably played golf an average of 5 days per week for the last year and a half. In the Spring of 2009, my senior year of high school, I started playing golf at the beginning of March when basketball season got over, and I didn't stop playing since. I played from March 2009 through November 2010 without any breaks. I needed a break. With the exception of a couple days, I didn't touch a golf club for the rest of the semester.
It was during this semester that God really began to work on my heart, and in my life.
I am not sure when it was or where it was, but at some point during this semester I felt the Lord teaching me that golf isn't about how I play, but rather about the relationships I develop. God has given me the talent to play golf. I have done nothing to deserve this blessing. If God has given me the ability to play golf, then it is my job to glorify Him through golf. I felt like I had done a terrible job of building relationships the past 15 months. I was so focused on my golf game and how I played, that I pretty much ignored everyone around me. On the course I was really quiet and tried to focus on my game. I did a great job or tuning everyone out; something I felt the Lord convicting me of. I never took the time to ask how the other guys were doing. I never took the time to hang out with the guys on my golf team. I was so focused on myself that I completely ignored everyone else. I didn't realize it at the time, but the Lord was definitely working on my heart.
During this time, the people around me were (and still are) incredibly wonderful.
First, my family was amazing! I usually spoke every night with my parents just to see how the day had been. They always asked how I played that day. My answer was usually, "Not very good." They always encouraged me and told me that my game would return. They told me to keep working hard and it would all pay off. We always ended each conversation with a prayer. I knew my parents were praying for me, and that brought me great comfort. My sister was also very encouraging. Whenever the topic of golf came up, she would tell me to hang in there and keep working hard.
The guys on my golf team were unbelievably patient. Every day I would play terrible golf. I would hit the ball in the water, I would hit the ball in the sand, I would hit the ball in the trees, I would hit the ball in the weeds, and I would hit the ball out of bounds. Every single time the guys would help me look for my ball. Not once would they say a mean comment. They were always very encouraging. Everyone could tell I was playing poorly. They never laughed (at least not to my face), and they never said a mean word. Sometimes the guys would take the time out of their day to watch me swing on the driving range. They would offer tips and help me. None of the guys want to play with a "hack" (someone who is a bad golfer). They never showed any frustration when they realized I would be playing with them that day. They always had nice words to say. I am still amazed at how nice they have been.
The people I hung out with at school were always very nice. My friend from Republic who was playing basketball at OC was always encouraging. We played golf together in high school, so he knew I was capable of playing better golf than I had been. He also introduced me to one of his friends, Matt Miller. Matt didn't know a lot about golf, but he would ask how my golf game was coming. Just knowing that he cared really meant a lot to me. Matt is also a strong believer in the Lord. I knew he was someone I could turn to when I needed prayer. My suite mate was also great. He enjoyed golf, and frequently asked how I was playing. He always encouraged me when I would give him the report that I wasn't playing well.
God also provided me with great friendships through K-Life, the student ministry I am involved in. The people at K-Life always had nice words to say. Every Monday night at club they would ask how my golf game had been. They knew I wasn't playing well, but they would offer an encouraging word or two that lifted my spirits. There are two people at K-Life that I have really gotten to know well. Tana and Jules have been unbelievably wonderful to me. They started inviting me over to their house to hang out. It was always nice and relaxing to be somewhere other than the golf course or my dorm room. Whenever I would go over to their house I knew I was going to have a great time. We would laugh and joke around. Hanging out with them always got my mind off golf. I was able to relax and just have a great time. Then God really opened up my friendship with Jules.
Jules and I started meeting at a coffee shop to study. We always brought our book bags, but we never got any studying done. I can remember when we met for coffee for the first time that semester. I brought my biology book to study for an upcoming test. I think I ended up reading a page and a half over a hour and a half span. Needless to say, we didn't get much studying done. Instead, we would talk about life. Jules always had the right words to say. She knew how much I loved golf. She always brought a smile to my face and encouraged me. We also talked about our faith. Jules has a heart for the Lord which is something I love. I know I can share what the Lord is teaching me and Jules will completely understand. I love hearing how the Lord is working in her life, and she enjoys hearing how the Lord is working in mine. God has definitely used her to help me realize what is important in life. Without knowing it, Jules has motivated me to become a more Godly man. I am so thankful the Lord has blessed me with my friendship with Jules.
The semester was coming to a close, and I was really enjoying my time away from golf. I hadn't touched a club in a month and I was not upset about it. Playing bad golf day-in and day-out mentally and physically wore on me. I felt like I was banging my head into a brick wall for the past 16 months. Every day I would leave the golf course frustrated and embarrassed. The time from mid-November to the end of the semester was refreshing. I was ready for Christmas break... Little did I know, God was about to work in MIGHTY ways.
Umhmm.
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