Question: “Who is the next super hero of golf?” He, she or it… is already here. “Who?” you ask.

Answer: Today golf’s super heroes are the golfers themselves.

The answer to the question, “Who is the next super hero, became clear when, after a round, a new friend asked me this question, ‘What was your favorite shot today?’”

As an avid golfer for the past 70 years, I have witnessed the game of golf experience two “growth spurts.” These, decades long, accelerators were due to two “super heroes” – The King and The Tiger!

Arnold Palmer’s bad-boy good looks and aggressive style made him the first super hero of golf. The introduction of color TV and the beautiful Masters’ course, where Palmer reigned, served as gasoline on the fire.

Tiger the golfer/athlete was magnetic! He was “Simply the BEST,” starting as a junior golfer and continuing through today. When Tiger is on TV, viewership goes through the roof.

The PGA TOUR has been the growth engine for golf for the past seven decades. Today the TOUR’s TV ratings have flattened. The ratings show that PGA TOUR golf on TV is showing a small viewership increase. While the number of participants will soon reach 50 million; almost doubled in the past decade.

This writer believes that the super hero, as one single person does not exist. Pro golfers are great golfers, but none have the drawing power of The King or Tiger. Bryson comes the closest, but he has surrounded himself with controversy. Much of Bryson’s popularity comes from his continued presence on social media.

So, who is the next super hero? Recently I was awakened to the fact, you the golfer, are the real super hero of golf today.

My wife, Bev, and I were playing in a Veteran Golfers Association Tournament in Florida. VGAgolfers.org – Organized golf for vets and their families. We were paired with a nice couple, Nate and Ashlee Olbricht. Nate is retired Air Force and a very fine golfer. Ashlee (Leppert) Olbricht is a (medically discharged) Coast Guard vet. She is not a great golfer, but as a multi-sport athlete, she hit’s it a mile with an aggressive personality that translates into a real competitor. We had a great time playing golf and meeting new friends.

During the round we learned that Ashlee’s Coast Guard career included several heroic missions where her fearless, but composed personality, helped save many lives during hurricanes. Ashlee was invited to attend and be recognized during the 2016 State of The Union address by President Trump.

Ashlee Leppert is an inspirational speaker and author – The Hurricane Within, Vol 1 & 2. These books can be found online and on Amazon. In these, tell-all books, Ashlee bears her soul and reveals how she found both peace and strength through love of Jesus. The small plug for her books is not a sales pitch, but to help understand her personality. “Don’t dwell on the bad things that happened during your life (or your round of golf). Remember the success life has given you.”

Remember, “What was your favorite shot today?” That question let’s a golfer leave the course remembering that “good shot” instead of dwelling on a crappy score.

Back to Bryson and social media. Social media, especially YouTube, is filled with favorite shots hit by a golfer. Think of the woman who made a hole-in-one at the age of 80. The social media picture of her standing by the flagstick with her ball in one hand and a finger in the air with the other hand. She is a super hero! She is saying never give up. If I can do it, you can do it too. When a golfer sees success, experienced by another golfer, they can relate. They feel the success! They believe: My day is coming!

Golf success on social media is much like the bells and whistles on casino slot machines. When a prize is won (bells and whistles go off) all turn to look and think, “My time is coming.”

Ashlee Leppert creates the same mental experience when she asks, “What was your favorite shot today?” Ashlee was a “super hero” in a helicopter, but today she make each golfer understand that they are the “super hero!”

Share those pictures and videos because others want to share your success.