Robert White '23 Recruiting Profile

My parents encouraged me from an early age to explore all sports. I played baseball from age 5-9. I gave football a try at age 8, but I was so small they couldn't find equipment to fit me. In 2015, I made my little league 9-10 all star team at second base. During all-star practices I suffered a tendon sprain in my throwing elbow. My dad being a long time baseball player advised me this type of injury would linger on for as long as I played baseball. 

During the offseason I started playing golf with my  dad at our local course. Golf is something I've done since I was 6 but never too seriously. The summer of 2015 changed that. One afternoon, the course manager, a former PGA teaching pro approached us. He told my dad I had one of the best natural swings he's ever seen. From then on my dad and I have worked together building my swing and my golf knowledge. 

We live in a very small, remote mining town in north central Arizona. The two sports available for kids are football and baseball. Being a dedicated golf kid is difficult. When time and finances allow we drive to Phoenix, about 100 miles and I play in a few USGA Kids tournaments each year. I'm looking into JGAA tournaments in the fall. Most of my competitive golf happens against adults in Bagdad. I play in the weekend men's club matches and tend to frustrate the older guys but they love having me out there. I made my first hole-in-one during one of these matches when I was 13. Last year, I joined the high school golf team as their #2 behind the only Senior. We played 2 tournaments before COVID-19. I placed 13th in our first tournament. I placed 1st in our second and last tournament. This coming year I will be our team's #1 and am looking forward to a full season.

Since that day in 2015 when I was told I had a natural gift, golf has consumed my family's life. Golf is free on our little home course. So every day I am out working on my game, playing a round with my dad or competing with the "old guys" on weekends. I haven't had the advantage of a professional swing coach or things like that. It's all trial and error. I touch base with the course manager for tips when I'm struggling but other than that it's just me and Dad. I really want to continue in golf well past high school. The ultimate dream of course would be the PGA. That is a highly competitive field. If that dream weren't to come true. Playing in college would allow me the opportunity for my back up plan at becoming a successful course manager. Whatever career I end up in I really want it to be golf oriented.