CENTRAL, S.C. - The game of golf has given me, a small town country boy, an innumerable amount of opportunities that I would not have been able to experience otherwise. I grew up in the small town of Quitman, Mississippi, a place where the chance to do extraordinary things are few and far between. My dad introduced me to the game of golf at a very young age, and he quickly encouraged me to get involved with junior golf camps and kids tournaments, very similar "The First Tee" program today. These junior golf camps helped me to build relationships with other junior golfers, and let me realize how much fun the sport could truly be.

Earlier this month, my golf coach Doug Wilkinson, asked if I would be interested in volunteering at "The First Tee" in Greenville, SC. I was honored and excited to get a chance to help with the same kind of junior golf camp that first started my golfing career.

The day finally came to help with "The First Tee". As we pulled up to the driving range and I was able to see the junior golfers, I was flooded with memories. I could see myself as a 10 year old boy again, excited and full of life for the game of golf. As three of my teammates, Steven Bryant, Jayson Cronk, and Brian Manning, along with Coach Wilkinson and I helped the juniors hit some good golf shots, we could see the smiles on their face, and the joy that the game was giving them. These kids, being underprivileged, were laughing, smiling, giving "high fives", and having a great time. And maybe for two short hours, they could forget about the hardships of life and just focus on being a kid and enjoying the moment. The smiles on their faces said it all!

I was so thankful to get a chance to give back to the game that has given me so much. However, I thought I would be going to "The First Tee" to teach young kids how to play golf, but in reality they were the one's teaching me. They taught me how to have fun again. Seeing these underprivileged kids smile and have fun taught me that I often take myself too seriously while I play golf. But golf is a game that is meant to be enjoyed, just as these kids were enjoying it. The beauty about the game of golf is that it is a sport that teaches you about life, and it is a sport that you can play for a lifetime. Yes, my teammates and I helped these children with their golf swing, but these children helped us with our view of the game and our view on life.