A piece of me...

Every person has a unique identity. Each identity is molded and sculpted by a variety of different influences and experiences. Through their own identity, each person speaks in certain discourses. A prominent author, James Paul Gee, defines discourses as "a socially accepted association among ways of using language, of thing and acting that can be used to identify oneself."

Discourses changes the way people view the world. There are a number of discourses that I am a part of each day. Each of these mold who I am.

Among my discourses: (some of these even have subcategories)

-American
         -Southeastern
                  -Tennessee
                            -Bristol
-Male
-White
         -Polish, Scottish, English, Irish, etc.
-Catholic
-Student
         -University of Notre Dame
Fan
         -Basketball
         -Football
                  -Fantasy Football
-Golfer
         -Golf course architecture
-World Traveler



While many of the first mentioned discourse communities are arguably the most important, today I am going to break down and take a deeper look that is really special to me, golf.

Golf has been a hobby for me since I was a small child. I have been able to share this love with my dad my entire life. Spending this time with my dad has been incredible. Some of my dearest and most special memories have been on a golf course somewhere with my dad. In fact, the background of this very blog is my dad and me strolling along the fairway of one of the world's great golf courses. (A prize will be given to anyone who correctly guesses the name of the golf course)

(My dad and I when I was 5 teaching me to play at the Virginian)

The game of golf has taught me many valuable lessons that I take with me off the golf course that have helped shaped my identity. Golf is certainly a gentlemanly game, a game of high moral standing where each individual player must uphold the rules. It promotes integrity, responsibility and honesty. The golf course was one of the first places I had to practice the moral teachings that my parents gave me and continue to instill in me.

These ideals seem to be the universal code of parenting. They wanted to guide me and teach me so that I grew into a man of high character. I know I want to uphold these aforementioned qualities of honesty, integrity and responsibility.

As a high school golfer, I went through the worst drought I have every experienced in any athletic endeavor. My nine hole scoring average from sophomore year to junior went up six strokes. That is an astronomical change in score. It sucked. I couldn't understand it and neither could my coach. I was the brunt of jokes from other golf teammates. The entire season was a humiliating experience.

Through this bad stretch, I learned resilience and toughness. It taught me how to persevere through struggles in my life. It was also reaffirmed that hard work is rewarded. I had a much better and more enjoyable senior year. Golf in this sense has made me a tougher, stronger person.

(16th Hole-Cypress Point Club)

Golf is engrained in me, it has become a part of my identity. It is not just chasing a little white ball around a field. It has become the foundation of my character as a person in all walks of life, far off the golf course. But most of all, it is fun.