Never walk alone

The world – especially the United States – is working its way through some serious issues right now, so it may seem a little trivial to talk about golf. But maybe not.

I’m very aware of how lucky I am to be a professional golfer. It’s incredible to be able to do my favorite thing for a living. But I hadn’t been able to do it since March 12, when the PGA put the TOUR on hold.

But I wasn’t alone. I was in constant contact with my team, as we did all we could to be ready for when the PGA TOUR resumed play.

And I wasn’t alone in my longing for golf to return. Tens of millions of people enjoy watching golf, according to statista. Many of them play the game themselves, and watching professionals play is a great way to learn. Especially watching live from the gallery.

Unfortunately, fans couldn’t be with us on the greens last weekend as we gratefully returned to the game at Colonial Country Club. As I mentioned to Ed McQuiston, Hyland’s executive vice president and chief commercial officer, during our Facebook Live interview, I’ve played without a gallery before. But my dad, who is also my swing and mental coach, had to remind me.

You see, I’m one of those people who focuses intensely on the game. So a few years ago, when they removed the gallery for inclement weather, I didn’t notice. I guess I’m a little competitive, since I want to win even when no one is watching.

That’s one of my X factors.

Every Winner Has a Great Team

Another X factor is my team. I trust them implicitly, especially when the pressure is on.

That’s what successful organizational leaders do – they look to work with the best. That’s applicable whether you’re talking about hiring the best people or finding the right partner.

That’s why I love being Hyland’s brand ambassador. Not only do our values match, but we both focus on teamwork to drive our success. Especially during periods of incredible change like we’re all going through right now.

“Despite the pandemic and social unrest, I’ve seen tremendous resilience, creativity, passion, caring, innovation, and execution from every one of our team members,” McQuiston told me. “Our collective response through all of these challenges has been truly inspiring.”

I think that’s the kind of leadership we’re all looking for. We need to acknowledge reality, then strive to make that reality better. And the easiest way to do that is to have great team members – people whose words and deeds inspire each other.

Acknowledging Reality, Acknowledging Teamwork

Again, I understand golf isn’t the most important topic right now. But health experts agree, getting outside and exercising is extremely important for both our physical and mental health.

It was great to get back out on the course. And it was great to have Austin, my caddie, right there with me. But I knew that in spirit, the rest of our team took every step with us.

Because when you have a great team, you never walk alone.