Aaron Baddeley: A Hole in One
CBN.com In a land known for its kangaroos, koalas and crocodiles, one of Australia’s own is collecting quite a trophy case. Aaron Baddeley began playing golf at age eight. By age 14, he won the local club championship.
“I sort of progressed quickly, but my passion was always to play as a professional,” Aaron tells The 700 Club.
In 1999, Aaron won the Australian open as an 18-year-old amateur and again the following year as a professional. Although he had given his life to Christ at age 12, spending more time on the golf course meant spending less time at church.
“I started paying golf, and I wasn’t always able to attend because of church,” he recalls. “My focus was golf. I wanted to be on the U.S. Tour. I wanted to win golf tournaments.”
He continued doing so. Aaron crossed the pond to the United States and entered the PGA tour. While his dream had come true, it wasn’t everything he had imagined.
“I was definitely wrapped up in material things, trying to find someone to date, fame, being in the right place. I was heading in the wrong direction. I’m thinking it’s going to be the best year of my life. It ended up being the worst. In November ’99, I won the Australian open; by September 2000, I told my dad I wanted to quit golf.
“Everything was going bad. I was missing cuts. I was playing bad. I was homesick. Everything in my life I thought was just the worst ever. It’s because I never grew my relationship with the Lord. I just called myself a Christian."
Someone once said golf is a game of inches. So much mental preparation and focus is required to succeed. So when Aaron began playing not up to par, he began to refocus his attention on God.
He says, “That was the turning point in my life. Instead of focusing on golf and on going out and dating someone, I was focusing on spending time with the Lord, studying His Word. It was my obedience that changed my life.”
How has his perspective on golf changed with Christ in the driver’s seat?
“I still want to win,” he replies. “My drive to win is probably just as much or more as it was before. I know when I play well, when I do well, when I win, I get that opportunity to tell people about Jesus.”
Today Aaron is married to his best friend, Richelle.
“He really led me to Richelle,” Aaron explains. “She’s just awesome. She’s really been a blessing in my life and helped me to be more well rounded, more balanced as well. Yeah, she’s special.”
Through his relationship with his wife, Aaron says he better understands God’s unconditional love for us.
“One thing He’s really brought out is how important a relationship with Him is. It’s not about rules and doing stuff. It’s about a relationship,” Aaron says. “With my wife Richelle, there are certain things I wouldn’t do, because I know it would hurt her. It’s exactly the same with the Lord. You don’t do it, because you know it would hurt Him. It’s not about ‘don’t do this, don’t do that’. It’s about coming to the Lord and spending time with Him.”
Aaron says he no longer plays golf for himself and admits he has an even bigger responsibility.
“I play golf not for my glory, which I used to do. I play golf so I can give glory to the Lord, because I’m giving 100 percent every time I go out. I’m playing so I can tell people about Jesus. I’ve really seen how God’s changed my heart, my passions. It’s really cool. It wasn’t an overnight thing. It was a step-by-step, day-by-day, walking with Him. Through that, He’s really changed who I am. I couldn’t imagine my life without Him.”
