There are golfers that play golf, play golf, and play golf. You can not hear the inflection in my voice as you read the first line, but if you think about it……there are three different state of golfer. Every athlete has an inner athlete trying to work its way to the surface. Sometimes the journey is a challenging and other times it is a natural progression. Well, golfers are exactly the same. The challenge I have found during my journey was determining the type of player that best suit my mental and physical capabilities. Finding my inner golfer was a journey, but I think I have a handle on it now.

What I found after 45+ years of playing golf is that I have many inner golfers. I play competitively, for fun and just because depending on the day. I enjoy all aspects of hitting the links, especially playing golf with friends. It gives us a chance to chat and in some cases reconnect. There usually is no down side to any of round of golf.

Over the past 15 years, I have grown cognizant of one constant of my inner golfer. It started when, in conjunction with my family, I decided to change my view on my life. My wife and I decided to work to live instead of living to work. This mental shift ultimately changed my approach to golf. I was able to take a step back and realize with all the things happening in my life, golf should always be a source of fun and enjoyment. This led to the one constant I keep close today: being grateful.

Being grateful in one aspect of my life has evolved into being grateful for all the things in my life. Even my brush with serious medical challenges (twice), I remain grateful. My sense of gratitude easily worked its way into my golf game where every time I tee it up I was/am grateful for the ability to play this wonderful game. Don’t get me wrong, I still feel frustrated from time to time, but at the root of things, I am grateful.

My inner golfer has evolved over the years for sure; I am still a competitor and love to push the limits of my game. I enjoy working out challenges, hitches, and improving what works. Through the entire process I remain mindful of my why I play golf and as such, I am loving this leg of my golf journey. For me it took a mental shift in how I approached golf and my life to get where I am today. It was not always an easy path, but one worth travelling.

My path worked for me and continues to do so; your path will be entirely different. Only you can decide what your inner golfer will be and I wish you safe travels on your golf journey. Regardless of how your trek unfolds, I recommend you remain grateful and enjoy the ride.

I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!