Getting to know my thoughts

I began swinging a club as soon as I could stand.  From a very young age, my mother would take my brother and I to the local park with our plastic golf clubs. She would point at a tree and we would hit plastic balls to whichever tree she pointed at.   When we went to the beach, I would always take a golf club with me as I thought it was so fun to hit the balls out of the sand. When I was five years old, I started competing in the local US Kids Golf Tournaments. I instantly enjoyed the competition and I have been competing ever since.

 Through golf, I have learned the importance of setting goals, both short-term and long-term, and working diligently to achieve them. I understand the value of hard work, perseverance and the ability to bounce back from setbacks. Time management was another essential skill I acquired having to balance schoolwork, practices, and family time. 

Golf requires a high level of discipline and focus. Playing golf has taught me the importance of dedication and persistence as I have spent countless hours practicing my swing and learning to focus on each shot. Golf has also taught me patience. There are days when nothing seems to go right, and overcoming those challenges has taught me I must remain patient.  Learning to accept bad shots and move forward has been invaluable in continuing to improve my golf and deal with everyday life.

Golf is as much a mental game as it is a physical one. Maintaining concentration through an entire round, especially under pressure, has strengthened my mental focus. I continuously work on my ability to stay calm, focused, and composed during stressful situations on the course. 

Playing sports helped me develop my coordination and agility.  From a very early age I have memories of my family always playing sports together.  By being involved with many different sports I understood the discipline required to attend practices and follow coaching instructions, and work towards personal goals helped me develop focus and determination.  In playing golf I learned to strategize during games and tournaments which sharpened my decision-making and problem-solving skills.  

Playing competitive tennis and soccer helps my golf in several ways. First of all, tennis and soccer provide me with the challenge of staying physically fit as it requires, a high level of stamina. This has helped me build the stamina required to walk the courses in the hot and humid temperatures we have here in Florida. Tennis and soccer also build my mental focus. During my tennis matches and soccer games, I have to maintain a strong mental focus as they both require quick reflexes and split-second decisions. I have been able to transition this ability to stay mentally focused in my golf games. 

When playing tennis, I must evaluate the playing situation. I evaluate the court condition, if the wind conditions may affect my game and I assess the level of play of my component. In golf, I also evaluate my playing situation. At each hole, I evaluate the layout of the hole, the effects of the wind conditions, the type of grass, and the slope of the greens. Soccer has taught me how to be a team player and rely on my teammates. I believe this will help me in a college team environment. 

Since an early age, I have been playing multiple sports throughout my academic years. This has taught me how to balance the demands of being a student and an athlete. I know how to manage my time to ensure I maintain my grades while also dedicating the required time to my sports. I am a self-disciplined student/athlete. I know how to prioritize the demands of being a good student and a committed athlete. 

I am committed to putting in the required work to ensure I can bring my best game possible for each tournament to support my team. When on the course I am very focused on my own game. I set a goal for myself for each tournament and work hard to remain focused on that goal throughout the tournament. In a team environment, I enjoy encouraging those around me.  I am a resilient player that never gives up. 

Playing golf in college will provide me the opportunity to gain experience in playing at a very high level. I believe being part of a team environment will allow me to learn from the other players and grow confidence in my game.  Being a part of a college team is a great stepping stone to achieving my ultimate goal of making a career out of golf. 

Before a golf tournament, I usually go to the range a few days before and work on all aspects of my game. I have a set practice routine working on my irons, short game, and then putting. I structure my practice session in this order to mirror how I play a hole. I start off hitting balls to ensure I feel confident in my swing. I then spend time working on my short game by practicing shots that potentially can happen in a round. Such as bunker shots, short green side pitch shots, and long wedge shots.   For my putting, I practice different drills to help me gain confidence in my tempo and speed. It is important to me that when I leave my last practice session before a tournament, I feel confident in my swing and game. On the day of a tournament, I like to arrive at the course an hour before my tee time. My warmup is focused on getting loose and not on my swing. 

For some tournaments, I am not able to play a practice round. I use different Apps to learn about the course and plan my strategy on how I would like to play the course.