Lessons from the Game of Golf: Let your drive speak for itself

Allison Goodman, a principal product manager here at TeamSnap, started playing golf at age 10. “In a bid to keep me quiet as my older brother took a golf lesson of his own, my dad extended a golf club toward me, put a golf ball on a tee and said, ‘Try to hit it.’ I swung the golf club back and sent the ball flying into the air,” Goodman explains. She hit another. And another. “The rest is history.”

She played for the next 12 years, competing at the highest level for junior competition, and then in college. In that time, the game of golf took Goodman around the world. But some of the most profound lessons were there from the start.

What challenges did you face as a young female athlete?
From my earliest days on the golf course, I faced a fair share of underestimation. In golf, if you are playing by yourself, it’s common for golf courses to have you play golf with complete strangers. As a young girl, I often found myself paired to play with middle-aged men. Even with a confident introduction at the first tee, I was well aware of the skeptical thoughts likely running through their minds, anticipating a lengthy and cumbersome round of golf. My 220-yard drive straight down the fairway quickly dispelled any doubts, while they often found themselves off in the trees.

Is there a particular game, competition, or experience that stands out to you?
After playing competitive golf for 12 years, I started questioning if it was something I wanted to continue doing. I was playing at a Futures Tour event, and it was the last round on the par 4 18th hole. I hit it down the fairway, had something like 190 yards to the hole, hit my hybrid and holed it for eagle. As I approached the hole, I couldn’t help but think there’s no better way to end this than right now. I walked off the green, hugged my mom, and said, “I think this is it, mom.” She knew what I meant by that and we both shared some tears as we reflected on the sacrifices and unique experiences that shaped me. I knew I had completed a remarkable chapter in my life, leaving a legacy on the fairways 🙂

What advice do you have for girls who play sports?
My best advice is probably more for parents of young girls who are interested in getting involved. I was fortunate to have parents who let me do normal kid things while balancing a pretty serious golf schedule. However, I witnessed so many others who only had a golf schedule and not only did their golf careers not last as long as mine but they eventually rebelled. Now what?