Aaron Baddeley: A Hole in One
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,” says Aaron. “But my passion was always to play as a professional.”
In 1999 Aaron won the Australian open as an 18-year-old amateur and again the following year as a professional. And 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 playing golf and I wasn’t always able to attend because of church,” says Aaron. “My focus was golf. I wanted to be on the US Tour. I wanted to win golf tournaments.”
And he continued doing so. Aaron crossed the pond to the United States and entered the PGA tour. And 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,” says Aaron. “I was definitely 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,” says Aaron. “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.
“That was the turning point in my life,” says Aaron. “Instead of focusing on golf, focusing on going out and dating someone, I was focusing on spending time with the Lord, studying his word, and it was my obedience that changed my life.”
With Christ in the driver’s seat, his perspective on golf changed
“I still want to win. My drive to win is probably just as much or more as it was before because I know when I play well, when I do well, when I win, I get that opportunity to tell people about Jesus,” says Aaron.
Today Aaron is married to his best friend Richelle. “He really led me to Richelle,” says Aaron. “She’s just awesome, I mean 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.”
And 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,” says Aaron. “With my wife Richelle there are certain things I wouldn’t do because I know it would hurt her. And 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,” says Aaron. “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. And it wasn’t like an overnight, shabang thing. It was a step by step day by day, walking with him and through that he’s really changed who I am. I couldn’t imagine my life without Him.”