Entry 24.20

Well, we made it. The final Monday of 2024. I hope you all enjoyed your holiday (Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, another or not at all) with your family and friends. Shelby and I spent a few days before Christmas in Gettysburg, PA experiencing the Battle of Gettysburg Museum and Auto Tour. Neither one of us had been there before, but we both enjoy history and learning more about how our great nation has arrived where it is today. If you have never been to Gettysburg, I highly recommend. Based on the number of restaurants and hotels in the area, there are times where tourists overrun the small town. Our few days were quiet, peaceful allowing us to spend as much time at the many stops without feeling overwhelmed (there are over 1300 monuments) and to easily get a seat at any restaurant (nothing worse than being told there is an hour wait to get a table knowing there are overwhelmed and it’s going to take another hour just get your food). The area is also quite festive for the Christmas holiday so while it is cold, I suggest a wintertime visit if you ever decide to go. We spent Christmas Day traveling from Gettysburg to pick up my daughter, Lexi, in Connecticut before heading up to my parent’s house in New Hampshire. But not the point of this entry. Tomorrow marks the end of my first calendar year as a member of the PGM faculty and staff team which leaves me a lot to be thankful for. So, I am going to acknowledge and extend thanks for the many wonderful people who have made this year a great one.

I’ve never understood why people leave the person they are most thankful to until last, but I know in the past I’ve done it just because it’s “the norm”. Well not today. I couldn’t have done it without Shelby, so I will recognize her first. Listen to me closely. Find someone who will look at you like you’re crazy when you come up with an idea, tell you how crazy you and the idea are, but then support and encourage you every step of the way as you try to pull it off. I’ve come up with a few real doozies over the last few years, and Shelby is never afraid to tell me how ridiculous my ideas are or how the goal I’m setting is just out of this world. But that’s not the end of the story. She then helps make my ideas a reality. Not just by being the world’s best cheerleader, but by jumping in and getting her hands dirty. Sometimes, she just helps me look at my idea from a different angle. Other times, she produces a different idea on how to solve a problem. Some of the new additions around Downback aren’t just done by me, she comes down and helps out as well. Until you have someone like that in your life, you will never truly understand how special it is. So, to Shelby, thank you and I love you.

Alright, I got the most important (and mushy) one out of the way. And I know as I continue on, I am going to miss someone. Hopefully, those people forgive me for my ignorance and forgetfulness. To my Methodist family, thank you. I can’t tell you how much each and every one of these amazing individuals have impacted my life over the last year.

Brock is the next guy who has to listen to all my ideas that get through Shelby but I wouldn’t be where I am today without his mentorship and leadership. From the early days of me arriving on campus to including me in the start of PGA HOPE to graduation to today, he has given me freedom to do my thing and not micromanaged which is how I flourish. He sees people. He is always thinking about how to make this program better, but also how to make each and everyone of us better.

Chris puts up with my out of this world talks on topics like “negative acceleration vs deceleration” but when I have a Head Golf Professional question, he is right there to help start me down the right path. He is also one of the most upbeat people that I know and a simple interaction with him really lift my spirits and my mood. He truly has a wonderful gift.

Coach is constantly bombarding me with posts and thoughts that he comes across and we’ve had so many discussions on new training aids, swing thoughts, the mental game, swing techniques, course management etc. from those messages. Each one of those messages and subsequent conversations equips me just a little more to be the best teacher and coach that I can be for you.

When I have a question about connecting with students better, I turn to Kelsie. She has more than once helped me see situations in a different light and how I can act or react better. She also is an amazing sounding board for teaching ideas or programs that I want to try. Some of the few different clinics, discussions, or programs that I have introduced were run by then refined by Kelsie first.

Without Bailey, some of you wouldn’t be here and I wouldn’t have the opportunity to work with you. If you don’t know this already, I’m not a people person. We’d run out of students really quick if I was the recruiter. But this summer she included me in the process of a new flyer and helped me understand that I have a part to play in recruiting. When I think about making a change now, one question I ask myself is “How will this help recruit more students?”

I have to thank Nicky for putting up with me scaring the bejeezus out of her (accidentally) for the first six months I was here. We have a system now where I announce my presence on my way to ask her for help. She really is the glue that holds this place together. She makes sure that I don’t miss the little things of the normal day to day while my eyes are on my grand long-term master plans.

Now to each and every one of you, thank you. I couldn’t have done it without you. I have learned so much over the last year because of you. Every time I teach a lesson, I find out that I have a gap somewhere whether in my knowledge, my communication skills, or my ability to connect with and understand people. You drive me to continue to learn and become better. You trust in me to help you with your game isn’t something that I take lightly. I want each and every one of you to reach your potential. Whether your goal is to play professionally on a Tour or just in Section events or all you want to do is pass your PAT so you can stop worrying about score and just enjoy the game for the rest of your life, that is what I want for you. Getting to watch you grow as you travel down this road to becoming a PGA Professional is so much fun. Working with the MUGA to help plan events whether they are tournaments, Fun Fridays or other social events and then getting to see the smiles on your faces during the events is rewarding as well (Small plug here: we need more involvement in the MUGA. We have about 10 active members of the 107 members. Without your involvement, these events don’t happen). I truly believe I have one of the best jobs in golf in the world. And that’s not because of me. It’s because of all of you. So, from the bottom of my heart, thank you.