Here’s my real story in my own words.

I began playing golf as long ago as I can remember. My Dad bought clubs for my brother who wasn’t all that interested. The minute I got the clubs away from him I was off! I loved it right away. The first pair of golf shoes I got really hooked me, the sound of the cleats on the pavement, ah, music to my ears! If you grew up with soft spikes I’m sorry. If you were wondering (I’m sure) this is why Phil Mickelson likes hard spikes! Anyway I digress.

One birthday I got a partial set of Patty Berg woods and irons with one of those pull cart bags built in. I cried for a week. Since I was the only girl that played golf I just wanted to fit in with the boys, and they certainly didn’t pull their bags! Needless to say that bag didn’t last long.

No girls sports when I grew up, so I just played golf as much as I could when I could with who ever would play. Sometimes in summer I could play 54 holes of golf! I was very young too, maybe 8 or 10, it was great I learned to be independent at a young age. (Can you imagine a 10 year old playing golf alone these days? Too bad the barriers to entry are so high today, I loved it) I learned to play by playing, some junior group lessons, but we played. No yardage markers. To this day I just know what club to use, not necessarily knowing the yardage.

The years went on like that, I headed off to college, quit college and started college again. This time I choose a school I could play competitive golf on a college team. I did pretty well, team captain for 2 years and All-American my senior year. I knew I was probably not good enough to play on the LPGA because I was not able to play much competitive golf as a kid. But, I wasn’t so concerned because I was drawn to teaching and the business of golf. Well….I tried anyway, and played the mini tours for a couple of years. Wow was I right, so off to a career in the Business of Golf.

After college, teaching golf was really just beginning to develop as a stand alone job in the golf industry. So timing was good for me. I think one reason I was drawn to teaching was because I could never find anyone (golf pros) that really knew how to help anyone else play better golf.

After college I had jobs at fancy country clubs. The same clubs that wouldn’t hire me back the next year because the board of directors decided they would not pay for a female golf professional! Yikes. Yes, it’s true. Don’t feel bad for me, its just part of my journey. Those experiences encouraged me to create the many systems that I used to be successful in my career.

I tell you these things so you can understand why I feel compelled to reach out and offer my help if someone out there needs what I can offer.

After teaching for many years, I was working for a management company and just could not for the life of me understand their decisions about the business. So as most females we think it’s us, we just don’t get it. So I set out to better understand business. I got an MBA from a well respected private college.

Well, I did figure out why I couldn’t understand the decisions the company made, because they were just plain bad decisions! Why? Because they did not give a dam about their employees. So I learned right there caring about the people you work with (up or down) is the only way to have a long term success in business. It wasn’t the MBA that helped me figure that out, just living gives you a great education if your paying attention! Save your money invest it instead!

I went on in my career to have good jobs in management great jobs in teaching, some fortunate business ventures thanks to some wonderful people that have helped me along the way.

Now I really want to help any of You that may need a nudge in the right direction.

I have now made it to the 20 year mark as a PGA member. I am very proud of that membership, although I know that not all great golf teachers are PGA members, we come in various forms from many different associations or none at all, and from all around the world.

We all have a story that makes us who we are.

I want to hear your story, really I do, I swear.

Send your story to me mitzie@golfprobizcoach.com

500 words or less and we’ll post it!