Open letter from Jeremiah Austin

To my surprise, I teamed up with Michael Shearer, one of the great golfers from the University of Georgia. The All American Patriot was a life-changing experience because there were more than 300 hundred college golfers there representing their universities. When they announced me, they said: “From Brunswick High School representing Brunswick and the state of Georgia ‘Jeremiah Austin.’”

I wasn’t supposed to play in the tournament, but I got a last minute invitation the day before. Michael and I did really well, and it was a great learning experience. God does things in a way that we may not understand, but that tournament prepared me mentally for the start of my 2023 golf season.

One day after I returned from vacation, I was blessed with a unique invitation to the Jones Cup Qualifier. The Jones Cup opportunity was a great building experience for my game as well as playing with some great college golfers from across the country.

I was treated so well by the staff and players at the Plantation Golf Course. People were really rooting for me, and they were encouraging me to do well. Unfortunately, I don’t know my total result was because of the severe inclement weather that prohibited us from continuing.

That was OK because all I needed was the experience for my future. I knew that I was advancing in my game because for the three years prior, I was volunteering after the Jones Cups to fill divots and get the golf course back together.

I have come a long way.

I moved on to the Jim Thorpe invitational in Orlando, which is my second year participating. Coach Tyrone Spaulding from Golfing for Success introduced us to the tournament, which features some of the best minority golfers in the country. He felt that it would be good for me to interact with all golfers.

I shot a 73 and a 78 in my first two 18 hole high school tournaments. The rest were nine whole events with my average nine hole being 37.

Our Brunswick High School Golf team has really improved. I would like to think that my leadership as team captain was a positive influence for our growth. My coaches Drew Culpepper and Peavey are great.

We missed the state qualifier by a few strokes, and I missed as an individual by one or two strokes, but I am already at the drawing board working on my short game, mental toughness, and course management. I never quit.

My preparation and development is not just based on playing golf. I always said that I wanted to be a total golfer in the greatest industry in the world.

I am inspired to be one of the greatest professional golfers that ever lived, but realistically, it may not happen. I still have the opportunity to become a great PGA Professional or leader in the business aspect of the golfing industry. I love playing golf, and I want to be in the industry for the rest of my life.

INVITATION TO THE COMMUNITY

It is my pleasure to invite everyone to take place in our One United Charity Golf Classic on May 22 at the Brunswick Country Club.

I want to thank all of the members and staff at the country club for their support and encouragement over past few years. When I first started playing here, it was established that they saw potential in me and they wanted me to have a safe constructive environment to develop. My grandfather and I were personally told that.

A few of the members told my grandfather that they were going to take care of me, and they really have. There is a special meaning behind that statement for me and my family.

What many people don’t know is that my introduction into advanced golf was in the mist of the destruction and devastation stemming from the Amaud Aubrey murder.

You may ask why is Amaud Aubrey case is related to being at the country club playing golf? I was 13 years old at the time and had a desire to play golf. From what I was noticing from the two previous years was that I was the only African American boy playing golf in all of my golfing events.

That really didn’t bother me because I was playing a sport. I later realized that there were not many of us playing golf, that I knew about.

There were a few times that I was being discriminated against while playing, but I really didn’t know because I was just having fun. When I saw what happened to Amad, I had a different outlook on my safety. If people can be that angry, racial, prejudice, and most of all evil, who can I trust while on the ninth hole, in the woods, with three other golfers with golf clubs that I’m beating.

The welcoming from the Brunswick Country Club to train and develop there was one of the greatest gifts that one can receive. Being a member of the Brunswick Country Club is like being in an educational environment.

I am constantly learning about golf, business and life. There are so many different walks of life that I am surrounded by daily. One of the biggest and most instrumental people at the Brunswick Country Club is my coach PGA Professional/Hall of Famer Ray Cutright.

Ray is the man. I really respect Ray. Ray is like my family. He only tells me the right things. Ray teaches me at an advance level and he is always looking for improvement. It is funny that when he doesn’t see improvement, he still encourages me to keep at it; it will come soon. Sometimes Ray seems like he wants me to go for myself, and I understand, but I need his encouragement and motivation. I want him to see me getting better.

My tournament consists of international diversity. My grandfather Richard Austin is really preparing myself for all scenarios that I might be faced with on my journey.

I am living the dream of what my Brand One United State for “the unification of all people for the same purpose; the purpose of unifying my generation in the golf industry to make a change and for the world and not a race, nationality, or creed, and to set a path for those that follow us to keep an open mind to change and diversity with hurt harm or danger.”