What Drives You?

The date was August 1st, 2003, the first round of the local individual golf tournament.   A beautiful Friday morning with three really close friends.  It was a shotgun start with our group starting on the second hole, a par 5 that was easily reachable in two with a good tee shot.  Two putting for Birdie, it would be the start to the best round I had ever played.  Golf is never easy, but on that day something was different, my swing was on track, breaks were going my way and I was just having a great time with my friends. Birding two more holes on the front nine, I was three under through 8.....something I had never done before.   Starting the back nine with a par on the 10th and then birdie on  the 11th, now I was at 4 under through 10 holes.  A bad tee shot lead to a bogey on the 12th, but I kept it together with pars on the next four holes.   The 17th hole is a long par 4 with OB on the right, not my favorite hole, but I knew I had a really good round going so I made sure to keep it in play, and I hit my tee shot in the adjoining fairway to the left.   A good second shot which lead to an unexpected birdie.    I hit a big drive on the par 5 18th hole and hit a decent approach, chipped it close and made another birdie.  I was really trying to keep my nerves in check and now the thought of shooting a round in the 60s with only one hole to play was running through my head.   The 1st hole is the #1 handicap hole on the course, it's a long par 4 and back then it had three trees protecting the left side of the fairway and a very small green.   I hit a decent drive but was blocked from going at the green by those trees, I hit  decent punch shot and a less than stellar approach shot that set up a long breaking putt to save par.   I knew I could make it ......telling myself come on just ONE TIME make this putt, you can do it.........the putt sank and the four of us just looked at each other.   After verifying my scores on each hole it was a round of 67.    It was an unbelievable day, as a golfer and competitor, it was something that you only dream of doing when it actually counts.....in the biggest tournament of our club.  The ONE TIME logo and the number 67 were put on my golf balls for the next golf season and they have been on there ever since.   That inspiration is still something I cherish and I'm proud of accomplishing.   To this day that is still my low round......I've been close with a 68 and 69, but even though I've only reached it once.........67 will always be my favorite round.    As an athlete you never know when it will happen, it can be anywhere; Any Course, Any Field, Any Court, Any Arena………. what will your ONE TIME be?   The drive to be better, to stand out from the rest, to have all that hard work payoff in the moment when it’s on the line.......ONE TIME.