On a warm summer day outside Baltimore, Maryland, two young boys play golf like people do at other courses across America. But these juniors are on a golf course where something very special happened to me over thirty years ago.

Here in 1975, as a 9-year-old, I first swung a golf club, setting in motion the beginning of a dream to compete against the world’s best players. After winning my state high school championship by a record margin, I was a member of the NCAA Championship golf team at Wake Forest University.

On my way to turning pro, life got in the way. My father died, and I returned home to be with my mother and family. Next, I earned an MBA and started the long process of building a company. Then came marriage, family, and home.

Now in the middle of my life after nearly two decades away from competition, I have renewed my childhood goal of playing professional golf on the PGA Tour.

For me, my journey — from junior golfer to 40-year-old husband and father taking a final shot at my ultimate challenge — is not about winning major championships but about learning the answer to the question, “Can I make it on the Tour?” As the Embedded Golfer, I will learn the answer to that question.