“My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person. He BELIEVED in me” – Anonymous

We all know that I couldn’t write a Mother’s Day article and not do one for Father’s Day, especially since I am a proud “daddy’s girl”. Don’t worry though, I haven’t gone completely “sappy” in all of my articles. But as I get older and work with more and more junior golf families, it has certainly led to a better appreciation for what my parents did for me during my golf career. I just hope that by sharing my experiences with the girls, they will have a better understand of the opportunity they have to play golf, travel and compete. I believe true appreciation, gratitude and awareness are key components of a strong, mentally tough competitor.

It’s not the case for all girls who play golf, but typically the father-daughter relationship is very influential throughout a junior girl’s golf career.  I know for me, it was my dad who got me started with golf when I was just 5 or 6 years old. He spent countless afternoons, evenings and weekends at the course and driving range working with me on my game. He was on my bag when I finished runner up at the US Women’s Am, and again when I earned full status at LPGA Q School. He even quit his job to caddy for me when I headed out on the LPGA Tour. Don’t get me wrong, not every father/daughter pair should also be a caddy/player pair, but I feel fortunate that my dad and I were able to make it work and we still wanted to speak to each other, even after the bad rounds.

Every father/daughter relationship is different, especially when it comes to playing golf. Some dads don’t actually play golf at all and tend to stay behind the scenes, others may have a tendency to get a little over excited at times and many struggle to find that right balance between support and the necessary push and discipline that many young players need. Whatever the relationship may be, my hope is that the girls remember that all a father wants is what’s best for his daughter. It may not always seem that way and at times can feel like they are being too tough on you or not letting you do something you want to do, but try to remember the time and commitment they are putting in to help you reach your goals. So this Father’s Day, I challenge the girls to find a unique way to show your dad how much you appreciate them. But also continue to remember throughout the year to show them appreciation for all they do for you, trust me when I say that one day you will understand the many reasons they do what they do!!