He was a small-town boy who burst onto the international golf scene with a dramatic hook shot from deep in the woods to win the Masters— before the game he loved almost killed him. Opening up about the toll that chasing and achieving his dream of being a champion golfer took on his mental health, Bubba Watson shares his powerful story of the breaking point that gave him clarity.
Bubba Watson is known as the big-hitting left-handed golfer who plays with the pink driver—the small-town kid who grew up as a child golf prodigy before going on to win two Masters Tournaments, competing in the Olympics, and rising to be the number two golfer in the world.
But every dream comes with a price. Feeling that he was never good enough, Bubba began to let the constant criticism from fans and commentators haunt his thoughts. Success in the game he loved was killing him.
In Up and Down, Bubba opens up about his debilitating anxiety attacks, the death of his father and namesake, adopting his children, and how reaching a breaking point professionally and personally drew him closer to his family and God.
Golf is what Bubba Watson does, but it is not who he is. Through his story, you'll learn how Bubba:
- Overcame his anxiety and feelings of inadequacy
- Found his true identity not in the standards of the world, but in the God who already knows he is enough
- Learned to trust God with his gifts, family, and biggest dreams
- Became the husband, father, friend, and mentor he was called to be
Life, like golf, is filled with ups and downs. Up and Down is the inspiring story of an imperfect man striving to become the best person he can be—wherever the course may take him.
Growing up in the small-town of Bagdad outside of Pensacola, Florida, Bubba Watson dreamed of being a champion golfer, and he has more than fulfilled that dream with twelve wins on the PGA Tour, including two Masters. A man of faith, he loves spending time with his wife, Angie, their two children, Caleb and Dakota, and his friends. Bubba is also a big supporter of his hometown, where he is part owner of the AA Pensacola Blue Wahoos baseball team, a car dealership, a candy store, and a driving range. But his family’s support of the Studer Family Children’s Hospital and the opportunity to help improve the community provides him the greatest satisfaction.
Don Yaeger is a 12-time New York Times bestselling author, longtime Associate Editor for Sports Illustrated, and one of the most in-demand public speakers on the corporate circuit. Throughout his writing career, he has developed a reputation as a world-class storyteller and has been invited as a guest on numerous major talk and news shows – from The Oprah Winfrey Show to Nightline and Good Morning America. In addition to writing and speaking, Yaeger is the host of the highly rated Corporate Competitor Podcast.
