“What the JGA has meant to me”
Deep breath in, deep breath out. I step onto the tee box, for the first time, ever. I feel my heart beat faster, my hands begin to sweat, and I’m quite literally shaking in my golf shoes that barely even fit me. The announcer finishes his spiel, “and last on the tee, in the girls C division, from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Sara Davey.” As I set up the ball, I take a second to look at the people around me: my fellow competitors, the starter, the rules officials, and my family. Every face my eyes seemed to come across offered a smile and a vote of confidence for the little six year old who was about to embark on the most thrilling three holes of her life.
From my very first tournament at six years old, to now, being a graduated eighteen year old, JGA has always been there for me. I have always felt so grateful to have such a supportive and loving community. People who will be there for each other, through the good days and the bad. No matter what happened on the course, I’ve always been able to walk off the last green with a smile on my face. That’s because I love golf, and I love being a part of something bigger than myself. Not only is JGA supporting the current generation of golfers, but JGA is inspiring and lifting up a whole new generation of junior golfers who can keep the tradition running, and that is truly special.
The JGA has helped me to see a future in golf, by always fostering a positive environment for growth among the players. Which is the reason I felt encouraged to apply for the sports industry program at Samford University. I stood on my home golf course, and filmed my application video, and two months later I got the best news; I was accepted into my dream program at my dream school. Now I get to pursue a career where, hopefully, I will always be connected to the sport I love, and there is no sport I love more than golf. This love and my relationship with this sport began with that little six year old smacking the ball with no restraint and no premonitions. JGA has provided me with a firm foundation to which I’ve built my life and my golfing career upon. I couldn’t be more grateful for every tournament, rain or shine, over the past twelve years, and every memory I’ve made along the way. Thank you JGA.
Sara
