For Maȟpíya Lúta junior Mason Reddy, golf was never part of the plan. A father’s encouragement, a willingness to try something new, and a sport that turned out to fit him perfectly later, and Mason has found something he did not expect to love.
A New Sport, A Grateful Start
“What drew me to be a part of golf was that I wanted to see what it was like to be a golf player and experience the sport overall,” Mason shares. “I mostly wanted to try it out because my dad encouraged me to do it and I wanted to show him I would do well trying out a new sport.”
Walking onto the course with no prior experience could have been overwhelming, but Mason credits the people around him for making the transition feel manageable.
“The transition was very nice and I want to thank my coaches for teaching me how to play the sport and being there anytime I messed up my swing or anything. They always taught me the right way to play. I mainly thank the coaches because I didn’t really know anything about golf and I feel they taught me well.”
Confidence, Calm, and Patience
Ask Mason how he approaches the game mentally and his answer reflects a maturity that goes well beyond his experience level.
“I approach the game with confidence that I can do this, even though it’s something new,” he says. “I think to myself that all these people who are good at golf were normal people just like me at one point. So that encourages me because I feel like golf can get tough at times but it’s all about staying calm and having patience when I’m at the meets.”
That mental approach carries over into his physical preparation as well. “I like to analyze where I’m going to aim and how hard the hit will be. The way I prepare is I warm up the day before and eat the right foods to keep myself in check mentally and physically, because I feel like it’s good to feel nice about myself in order to play well the following day.”
A Sport That Brings Peace
For Mason, the highlights of his first season have been less about scores and more about the experience itself.
“The highlights of my season have been just trying my best at practice and being appreciative of my coaches, but mostly the meets because I get to show out and play at courses I have never seen before,” he reflects. “Playing golf and getting better at the sport each day is what my highlight is because I never actually played golf and playing this sport brings me peace. It’s not really weighing me down like other sports when I do bad sometimes.”
The growth in his game has been real and measurable. “I almost got a birdie and multiple pars, and the worst I do on one hole now is like 7 strokes because before I used to get 10 most of the time. I think my golf game has grown quite a lot and I want to thank the coaches for everything they have done to teach me.”
Goals for the Road Ahead
As the season winds down, Mason has his sights set on a milestone that reflects just how far he has come.
“My goals for the rest of the season are to break 100 and hopefully score less each time we go to meets,” he says. “I also hope to accomplish getting right mentally because there are times where I still have to work on that part of my game.”
Mason Reddy showed up to his first golf season not knowing how to hold a club. He is leaving it with near birdies, multiple pars, a love for the sport, and a clear road map for what comes next. That is a first season worth celebrating.