Craig McLaughlin

I can remember my junior golfing days like they were yesterday.  Little did I know, during those early years, how much golf would impact my life.

It was my father who first introduced me to the game.  He put together the first set of clubs that my twin brother and I shared growing up.

Like most kids, when my brother and I turned 8, we were playing all of the usual team sports (baseball, soccer, and my brother played football).  But, in 2000 at age 14, golf began to peak our interest.

Fortunately for my brother and I our father loved the game of golf, and had a knowledge of the basics.  He taught us the grip, setup and added tips as he watched us swing into our backyard net.  It didn’t take long for me to become addicted.  I was out swinging at every opportunity, and would talk my brother or father into putting contests in the living room.  Some of my fondest memories of my teenage years are with the game of golf.

During my junior golfing days my father would take us to a driving range in Hudson, NH every Sunday.  We would hit hundreds of golf balls and then test out some of the new golf toys in the golf shop.  After the range, we would hurry home to catch the Patriots game.  This became a tradition for me, and looking back very much enjoyed those days.

When we started high school, I missed the golf team my freshman year.  I can remember being devastated, but it only sharpened my focus.  I continued to work on my golf game and even took lessons over the winter months at an indoor facility.  Once that summer hit my brother, cousins and I took out junior golf memberships at our home town course — Woburn Country Club.  Our parents would drop us off at the course and we would play as much as we could.  Nine holes then off to Papa Gino’s down the road; back to the course for another nine.  On some of those days I’d stay for yet a third nine with my dad in the Post Office league.  During those league rounds I learned a lot about the etiquette and rules of the game.

In my sophomore year I made the golf team where I competed with the team through my senior year.  During those years I also played in a lot of junior golf tournaments with some success… Woburn Country Club 2-time Junior Club Champion 2001 & 2003, member of the Woburn High School 2002 Massachusetts Div. 2 State Championship team, selected to the 2003 Middlesex League All-Star Team. The experiences I gained during with the golf team, and in junior golf tournaments helped inspire me to a career as a PGA golf professional.

It all started as a junior golfer learning how to hold a club in the back yard.  As I I’ve furthered my career golf has provided me the opportunity to make friendships, and develop connections with colleagues…  I even met my wife at the golf course.

Golf is a game but, as you can see from my experience, it can be much more.  The game has been, and will continue to be an integral part of my life; I’ll be forever grateful to my Dad for introducing me to golf.