Profile Essay

Austin Christopher Gutgsell
Austin Gutgsell is the only son of Jodie and Greg Gutgsell. He is a six foot tall, brown haired, brown eyed, eighteen year old golfer. When I asked Austin how he would describe his personality he said, “I am humorous, mocking, disciplined, and determined.” He is a graduate of Mandeville High School and is now a freshman at Louisiana State University. Austin has been playing golf since the age of two for fun, but started playing competitively at the age of twelve. When asked about his family support he said, “My parents are the most supportive, but whose parents aren’t supportive.”
Both Jodie and Greg Gutgsell play golf and understand what their son goes through. Austin’s godfather is the Master professional of the PGA (Professional Golf Association) of America in Port St. Lucie. Austin described some of the things and support his family does for him, “My family spends tons of money on hotels, food, and other travel expenses and they also take time out of their days to help me and go to tournaments/practices with me. They drive me to succeed and are always rooting for me.” He also said,” My mom is the most supportive because she is a psychiatrist and helps me more with the mental side, but my dad is supportive but in the way that he tells what I need to do to get better.” Other than family, Austin has support from his girlfriend, Rachel, friends, previous golf coach, Rob Noel, or the LSU golf coach, Chuck Winstead.
Austin was the number 1 recruit in the state of Louisiana, won state title individually, was in the top 10% of class, and attends LSU on a golf scholarship and the Chancellor’s Leadership Scholarship. Austin says, “It’s awesome to play golf for a major university like this one, but can also be very hectic having a social life.” Austin practices six to seven days a week from four to twelve hours a day depending on his day’s schedule. Not only does he practice a lot he has tournaments that sometimes overlap with school and therefore has to miss school. Austin said, “When I left for college it was hard on my parents because since my schedule is so busy we’d go three days without talking, but now we work around my schedule and their schedule to talk.”
“Being on the LSU golf team has a lot of advantages,” Austin says. The team has morning work outs, free tutors and academic help all the time, and its own dining hall. Each member receives free tickets and season tickets to all sporting events and tons of free equipment and clothing such as towels, golf gloves, shirts, golf balls, shoes, jackets, sweaters. The boys and girls team are not allowed to be in a fraternity or a sorority, but Austin said, “The team is my fraternity, we do everything together. I also live with two of the boys on the team.” Sometimes though there are disadvantages. “You always have something to do, going out with friends is limited usually to once or twice a month, and we sometimes miss school because of travelling to a tournament,” says Austin.
Austin likes the new adjustment he has made, so far. He said, “I love playing golf, but I also like being the teenager I am, but sometimes I feel like I have a job. Well actually, two jobs, golf and school and it’s not the easiest thing to keep up with.” When asked if he ever had the quitting feeling he responded with a smile and “Yes, I have wanted to quit before but that’s why you have your support system and many opportunities ahead of you that keeps you from not quitting.”
Austin’s major goal for golf is to get on the PGA (Professional Golf Association) tour. He says, “I could be making a million if that happens.” He also plans to play on his dream course before graduating from college. His dream course is Augusta National, which is where the Masters are played. He also plans to get ten times better than he is right now, and wants to continue golfing to follow his Godfather’s footsteps.
When asked about his financial situation for golf he said, “Most courses let me play for free because of LSU, but every tournament fee is around two-hundred and fifty dollars.” Austin receives some clothing from LSU, but before he was on the team each shirt was thirty dollars and each pair of shorts were about thirty-five dollars. Austin’s parents have a golf membership of fifty thousand dollars at the Beau Chene Clubhouse in Mandeville, Louisiana, and that doesn’t even include the price of lessons at the club. Each lesson ,that Austin attended once a month, was roughly around seventy-five dollars and Austin went to one once a month. Majority of the equipment he receives is free because he is sponsored by Mizuno, but LSU also supplies some.
Everyone has something that they are good at. For Austin, he believes he is best at golf. If you have a dream and want to pursue it, never lose faith. If you have a good support system, good attitude, and the drive to succeed then you can achieve your goal. “All you have to do is put your mind to it and do it,” says Austin. Never give up on your dreams because you never know when something good is going to come along with it. “If I had quit golf at any point of high school then I wouldn’t be here today playing golf for a university, but so far my life is good and I living my dreams for myself and parents,” says Austin.