Vicky Stephens: Faces of the First Tee January 2020

January 7, 2020 – Albert Einstein once said, “If I were not a physicist, I would probably be a musician. I often think in music. I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music.” In the same way as Albert Einstein, if I were not a golfer, I would probably be a musician.  Although I am better known as a golfer, music has been a colossal part of my life, even before I picked up a golf club.  Music started to become a very important part of my life and help me grow as a person during my early childhood. Being taught an abundance of Spanish nursery rhymes as a toddler, I took an interest in music. I loved the way music could boost my mood at any moment and could move my feet at ease. I was fortunate enough to be raised bilingual and I was able to be exposed to both American music and Latin American music, with a specific focus on Argentine culture. Later on in life, I moved to Houston, Texas and Barranquilla, Colombia. During this time music was the most positive influence that helped me with learning and adjusting to new territory. Music was always able to take me back in time and be my best friend during difficult times. Music is still my very best friend to this day; it picks me up through rough patches. Despite the fact that being able to create music gave me life, a few years later, golf, as well as The First Tee, was introduced to me. I use many of the core values from both golf and The First Tee, such as perseverance and judgment. Not only has both golf and The First Tee led me into becoming a better person, golf has led me to amazing opportunities, for example: interacting with professionals such as Jason Day, Brooks Koepka, Jordan Spieth, and Sergio Garcia at the Zurich Classic, achieving high school MVP as a Freshman and attending the International Junior Golf Academy in Hilton Head, SC. Both Music and golf have shaped me into being the person I am today and I am forever grateful for both gifts. Faces of the First Tee portraits: New Orleans Snapshots by Andrew J. Cohoon