An insightful article on Dustin Johnson, on the official Masters website, struck a chord with this writer because our Golf Foundation team encourages youngsters to dream and be creative through golf while giving them the tools to thrive in the game and in their wider lives.
Bill Fields describes how a young Johnson grew up putting “for a green jacket” during practice, and his grandfather saying of his athletic prowess: “He could run like a deer. He could throw a baseball a mile.”
Bill Fields writes: “Johnson, father of two young sons, Tatum and River, with fiancée Paulina Gretzky, could not control his emotions in a post-round CBS interview, stepping away from the mic in tears. ‘I had a tough time there speaking…’ Johnson said, ‘just because it means so much to me. It means so much to my family… They know it’s something that I’ve always been dreaming about and it’s why I work so hard. To finally have the dream come true, I think that’s why you see all that emotion.’”
We often talk at the Foundation about how golf can change people’s lives for the better in many ways. It says something about The Masters that it can have so much effect on whoever dons the green jacket, while giving so much enjoyment to others: to ‘us’. Back in November, Dustin’s win brightened up our world for a day or two at a very dark time didn’t it? The power of golf… the power of sport.
Perhaps we all deserve a green jacket for the year we’ve just been through but on Sunday only one player will win this. Meanwhile the rest of us can keep dreaming. It doesn’t hurt to do that.
Pictured are four dreamers, Dustin (2nd from left) and Harrison, Kate and Charlie, who have all played at the Start to Play Academy, Euxton Park in Lancashire. The kids (in normal years) have been enjoying an annual, fun competition in Masters week, where each game winner gets to don the famous Augusta green jacket and pose for an official picture! Ryder Cup and Solheim Cup matches between ‘Europe’ and ‘USA’ have also been staged at this progressive golf academy!
* If your whole family wants to improve the putting at home and emulate the greats at Augusta, head to our #GolfatHome page here for skills games and fun learning.
