First Tee participants go inside mind of PGA TOUR winner Notah Begay at the First Tee Champions Challenge Clinic presented by Porsche Naples

By Carson Racich

Naples, Fla. – Notah Begay, a steadfast supporter of junior golf, eagerly seizes every chance to impart his wisdom on the game of golf. Amidst his practice session at the Chubb Classic presented by SERVPRO, Begay graciously paused to engage with the next generation of aspiring golfers, demonstrating his unwavering commitment to nurturing talent.

At the Golf to Paradise – First Tee Champions Challenge, the 10 participants were privileged to engage in a private Q&A session with four-time PGA TOUR Winner Notah Begay, ahead of their second round.

Begay, once a top-ranked amateur himself, emphasized the importance of diligence in pursuing one's goals. Having recognized the financial challenges associated with golf early on, Begay imparted valuable insights on the significance of hard work and dedication and how to seize opportunity when you see it.

“I didn't have the means to play growing up, so at the age of nine I decided to get a job at a local muni,” Begay said. “I didn't ask for a paycheck. I asked for practice and playing privileges. I was able to turn this into an opportunity. With wi, that I eventually become the #1 amateur.”

Drawing from his own journey, Begay drilled on the importance of hard work in pursuit of a dream. From a young age, he knew his passion lay in playing golf, and he spared no time with  his efforts on and off the course to realize and reach his ambitions. Through unwavering dedication and personal sacrifices, Begay ascended to the pinnacle of amateur golf, competing at the Division One level for Stanford University. During his tenure, he not only earned his degree in economics but also clinched an NCAA Championship title and garnered recognition as a three time All-American. 

Despite the solitary nature of golf, it serves as a catalyst for forging lasting relationships and reflects on his time at Stanford, where he shared the journey with none other than Tiger Woods. Despite their individual aspirations for individual leadership and team success, Begay emphasized how the sport fosters bonds and creates cherished memories. 

“One of my favorite memories from college with Tiger is that I tell him all the time that he made us worse [finishing 2nd the year he joined] at the NCAA championships or that he never graduated college… but then he reminds me that he has 5 masters.” Begay Laughed. 

Going on to answer participants' questions, the most asked was “How do you handle pressure?”

Begay had three simple pieces of advice for them to keep it simple:

• “Number one, you have to breathe! Try to take three deep breaths. It's going to feel like an hour. Breathing is the one constant thing we have when we are stressed and under immense pressure.

• Trust your decisions. You have to trust your club, your distance, and mechanics. You Must trust what you're working on and if you're not going to, why are you even practicing?

• Accept the outcomes. Handle your emotion by accepting the crappy shots, the hole in ones and the in between. If you can do that, then the level of achievement and performance will surely increase.”

Touching on another valuable piece of advice, Begay emphasized that golf is the most fair game that we will ever play and a game that can be very unforgiving.

“In golf there are no substitutes or time outs, no teammates to bail us out. So when we are going sideways we have to quickly realize we can only rely on ourselves to figure it out. That’s where breathing, trusting and committing come into play,” Begay stated.

With all ears engaged in the conversation, Begay announced to the group additional opportunities for competition with his own junior tour. As an advocate for junior golf, Begay wanted them to know there's so much opportunity out there and it's up to them to take it. Similar to the mission of the First Tee programs, he sees the value of life skills and the core values.

“I want people to realize that when you juniors are going out trying to shoot your best score, you're learning so many valuable lessons as a by-product,” Begay stated. “You’re learning patience, decision making, risk evaluation, about yourself and so much more. I want to promote that side of golf on tv and invite you all to join.”