Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Dental dreams help Beckner fortify mindset in golf
3/16/2018 10:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
As Middle Tennessee's men's golf team circled The Grove Club at the 2017 NCAA College Grove Regional in nearby College Grove, Tennessee, it did so with one team member watching from the sidelines, desperately thinking for a way to hone his game and hopefully crack the lineup the following fall.
The Blue Raiders finished the tournament on May 17 tied for sixth overall, one place shy of making it back to their first NCAA Championships since the 2007-08 season. While it was a banner year for MT, including a fourth-place finish at the Conference USA Championship, it was simultaneously one of the toughest in the young career of junior James Beckner.
Beckner isn't used to being unsuccessful. The Kingsport, Tennessee, native was a four-time all-conference member at Dobyns-Bennett High School and a 2015 all-state recipient following a third-place finish in the TSSAA Class AAA state championship, all while graduating 18th in his senior class of 456 students.
When he didn't get off to a good start on the course in the fall of his sophomore year at Middle Tennessee, though, things started to spiral downhill with Beckner's golf game.
"He expects so much from himself that he had some really high expectations," MT head coach Brennan Webb said, "and when he didn't meet those expectations, he would let that get to him in the middle of rounds and let some rounds get away from him.
"He kind of played himself out of the lineup last year just mentally."
After playing in all 12 events in the fall and spring combined his freshman year, Beckner struggled through the fall of 2016, playing in four of five Blue Raider outings and registering a 74.2 stroke average.
His confidence in his swing was waning, and the heavy classroom stresses from a tough course load that included microbiology and organic chemistry were also thrown into the mix.
Needless to say, Beckner was stressed out. It showed on the golf course so much that Webb was forced to take him out of the lineup for the entirety of the spring season.
"I could see the physical reactions to his bad shots," Webb said, "and even standing far away from it … you could still see him costing himself shots down the line. He wants it so bad and he wants to be great, and it took him a while to learn that he was doing more harm than good."
Instead of lamenting about his lost place in the lineup, Beckner, who's studying to become a dentist, used the spring to buckle down in the classroom. Little did he know at the time that his added focus on his studies would make a lasting impact on his golf game, too.
Beckner's work in the classroom allowed him to obtain an internship with a dentist over the summer, where he got to job shadow and learn everything about his future profession.
The internship did more than fulfill credit hours. It also helped Beckner find a renewed mindset on the golf course.
"The shadowing really helped my mental game," he said. "It helped me realize what I'm really here at MT for is to be a dentist. Golf is just here for fun and I'm supposed to enjoy it, not get mad about bad shots or get stressed out about it.
"I only have a year and a half left here, and I don't want to spend that getting mad on the golf course."
The revelation has been, for lack of a better term, a game-changer for Beckner.
"I feel like I'm having fun on the golf course," he said. "I was taking that stress to the course when golf should be a place where I can let all of that stress out. I'm trying to play more stress free, and it seems to be working right now."
While putting in hours over the summer at the dentist office, Beckner also had work to do on the course, most notably with his short game.
That hard work started paying itself off immediately in the fall. As the Blue Raiders took home the team championship in their first tournament of the season at the Memphis Intercollegiate, Beckner unleashed his newly fortified approach and came home tied for third as an individual with a 3-under performance.
He was inserted into the lineup in MT's next outing at the Bearcat Invitational Sept. 25 and 26 and hasn't left, finishing the fall with a 72.4 stroke average to rank fourth on the team, nearly two strokes better than his career average after his first two years as a Blue Raider.
"Through all of my experiences here and what Coach Webb has taught me, all of it has kind of come together," Beckner said. "Everything is kind of working right now."
As the Blue Raiders make a push for another NCAA Regional bid, Beckner knows this time he'll be an instrumental piece of the puzzle. But, even if he hits another rough spell on the golf course, don't expect his head to drop or a yell of anger.
A lot more than golf lies ahead for Beckner, and knowing that will continue to help him when the going gets tough.
"He's just an impressive kid," Webb said. "He does everything to the max and gets the most out of every minute of the day. To be 21 and have that much commitment and dedication, he's a special kid. He'll be super, super successful, and we're proud of him."
The Blue Raiders finished the tournament on May 17 tied for sixth overall, one place shy of making it back to their first NCAA Championships since the 2007-08 season. While it was a banner year for MT, including a fourth-place finish at the Conference USA Championship, it was simultaneously one of the toughest in the young career of junior James Beckner.
Beckner isn't used to being unsuccessful. The Kingsport, Tennessee, native was a four-time all-conference member at Dobyns-Bennett High School and a 2015 all-state recipient following a third-place finish in the TSSAA Class AAA state championship, all while graduating 18th in his senior class of 456 students.
When he didn't get off to a good start on the course in the fall of his sophomore year at Middle Tennessee, though, things started to spiral downhill with Beckner's golf game.
"He expects so much from himself that he had some really high expectations," MT head coach Brennan Webb said, "and when he didn't meet those expectations, he would let that get to him in the middle of rounds and let some rounds get away from him.
"He kind of played himself out of the lineup last year just mentally."
After playing in all 12 events in the fall and spring combined his freshman year, Beckner struggled through the fall of 2016, playing in four of five Blue Raider outings and registering a 74.2 stroke average.
His confidence in his swing was waning, and the heavy classroom stresses from a tough course load that included microbiology and organic chemistry were also thrown into the mix.
Needless to say, Beckner was stressed out. It showed on the golf course so much that Webb was forced to take him out of the lineup for the entirety of the spring season.
"I could see the physical reactions to his bad shots," Webb said, "and even standing far away from it … you could still see him costing himself shots down the line. He wants it so bad and he wants to be great, and it took him a while to learn that he was doing more harm than good."
Instead of lamenting about his lost place in the lineup, Beckner, who's studying to become a dentist, used the spring to buckle down in the classroom. Little did he know at the time that his added focus on his studies would make a lasting impact on his golf game, too.
Beckner's work in the classroom allowed him to obtain an internship with a dentist over the summer, where he got to job shadow and learn everything about his future profession.
The internship did more than fulfill credit hours. It also helped Beckner find a renewed mindset on the golf course.
"The shadowing really helped my mental game," he said. "It helped me realize what I'm really here at MT for is to be a dentist. Golf is just here for fun and I'm supposed to enjoy it, not get mad about bad shots or get stressed out about it.
"I only have a year and a half left here, and I don't want to spend that getting mad on the golf course."
The revelation has been, for lack of a better term, a game-changer for Beckner.
"I feel like I'm having fun on the golf course," he said. "I was taking that stress to the course when golf should be a place where I can let all of that stress out. I'm trying to play more stress free, and it seems to be working right now."
While putting in hours over the summer at the dentist office, Beckner also had work to do on the course, most notably with his short game.
That hard work started paying itself off immediately in the fall. As the Blue Raiders took home the team championship in their first tournament of the season at the Memphis Intercollegiate, Beckner unleashed his newly fortified approach and came home tied for third as an individual with a 3-under performance.
He was inserted into the lineup in MT's next outing at the Bearcat Invitational Sept. 25 and 26 and hasn't left, finishing the fall with a 72.4 stroke average to rank fourth on the team, nearly two strokes better than his career average after his first two years as a Blue Raider.
"Through all of my experiences here and what Coach Webb has taught me, all of it has kind of come together," Beckner said. "Everything is kind of working right now."
As the Blue Raiders make a push for another NCAA Regional bid, Beckner knows this time he'll be an instrumental piece of the puzzle. But, even if he hits another rough spell on the golf course, don't expect his head to drop or a yell of anger.
A lot more than golf lies ahead for Beckner, and knowing that will continue to help him when the going gets tough.
"He's just an impressive kid," Webb said. "He does everything to the max and gets the most out of every minute of the day. To be 21 and have that much commitment and dedication, he's a special kid. He'll be super, super successful, and we're proud of him."
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Golf
Raider Report Week 4 - MTSU vs. Marshall University
Friday, September 19
A look back: 1965 and 1985 Undefeated Blue Raider Football Teams
Wednesday, September 17
True Blue Testimonials - Caroline Macander MTSU Volleyball Setter - Presented by MMC
Tuesday, September 16
MTSU Football at Nevada cinematic recap – 9/13/25
Tuesday, September 16
