This story appeared last week in the New York Times:
With a Weight Off Her Shoulders, a Former LPGA pro Is Happy To Carry Bags
By Lisa D. Mickey
Meaghan Francella had won many victories as a professional golfer in the LPGA. However, she also had problems playing well enough to maintain her full status. At one point, after a really bad year, she “laid down on the grass and cried.”
She didn’t want to quit. She did everything she could think of. She spent a day with a pro who’d also hit a wall and returned to the game. As the article says, “During the off-season, she worked out, lost weight, focused her practice and tried to mentally prepare for another year.”
But nothing worked. At the end of that year, Meaghan decided it was time to quit. She hadn’t been happy. So she began working as a caddie for professional golfers who were doing well.
To be sure, it’s not like going from owning a mansion to being a maid in someone else’s mansion. Caddies can do quite well financially. But there’s obviously a difference in expectations and intangibles.
Meaghan says she’s happy and she’s helped some of her players make great gains. For her, the move seems to be a good one.
The lessons here seem to be:
Sometimes it’s better to quit instead of beating your head against a wall.
Sometimes what seems to be a step down can be a step back, with a new perspective, and some genuine satisfaction, too.
What do you think? Please add a comment below.