Relentlessly Dedicated With Mo Gesualdi
Mo Gesualdi, PGA, LPGA, TPI
Director of Instruction
The Golf Academy at St. Johns Golf & Country Club
St. Augustine, Florida
Q: What Troon Value that resonates most with you?
Troon clearly defines its values, and while all of them are crucial to Troon’s success, the one I personally resonate with the most is “Relentlessly Dedicated.” Both words—“relentlessly” and “dedicated”—are powerful on their own, but together, they truly define me and my approach to instruction, relationships, and building my businesses. I don’t back down from obstacles and setbacks; instead, I always find another way. Through my experiences both inside and outside of work, I’ve learned that setbacks often serve a purpose and ultimately become more beneficial for my development, networking, and outlook than if everything had gone smoothly. For these reasons, I choose to be relentlessly dedicated in my work, my life, and my relationships with those who matter most to me.
Q: What/Who got you into golf and what was your first experience with the game?
A: One of my first experiences ever, was when I had just turned 10 years old and was moving from Connecticut to North Carolina and my aunt Caryn and Uncle Rob took me to the driving range. I had never touched a club before, but had always been athletic and could hit it in the air and pretty straight starting out. I personally wasn’t satisfied with how I was hitting it, and from that moment on I was hooked to improve. My aunt said all of these older men at the range kept coming up to her asking her how long I had been playing because they thought I had such a great swing. When we moved from Connecticut to NC a few days later, we were moving onto a golf course, and the 7th green at Duckwoods CC in the OBX which would become my backyard for the next few years. I became obsessed with improving and would attach my golf clubs onto a pull-cart, and bungie cord it to the back of my bike rack, making a golf club trailer and would ride myself and my clubs to the golf course every single day to practice and play. I would be out there as long as I possibly could, instructed to come home by dark, (cell phones weren’t around yet). I’d play with the boys my age, the older men who’d try to mentor me, and work with my coach at the time, Tommy Wine, who really took me under his wing and made me believe in myself. I was full of self-discovery, learning, and loved the game, declaring to my family at 11 years old that I was going to play D1 college golf and become a golf professional “when I grow up.” And that’s how it all started…
Q: What has been your career progression and what would you tell your 20 year old self if you had to do it all over again?
A: That’s a really tough one but a great one to reflect on. In my own life, speaking with friends, family, and my own students, I’ve noticed that around age 19 or 20 is when you hit a wall of self-reflection. You’re an “adult” on paper but not yet in experience or decision-making. At that age, you have a very limited pool of personal grown-up experiences to lean on, so you often rely heavily on your inner circle and their beliefs. Everyone loves to tell you what you should do, which can be burdensome, especially if your inner circle holds conflicting ideas.
At that age, I was in a major tug-of-war with myself, heavily influenced by suggestions around me. I didn’t have a strong grasp on who I was, what I was supposed to be doing, or how to make everyone happy. When I became fatally ill in my mid-20s, I realized I had to choose myself. Since then, I’ve leaned on mentors, coaches, and therapy to help with my career and its direction. It wasn’t until the last 12-18 months that I truly felt I had a strong sense of who I am, how to stand for my values, and how that has created a quiet confidence in me and my pursuits.
What I would tell my 20-year-old self is to find one or two strong mentors, not family members, who have been successful in the field you wish to pursue. Ask for their help, guidance, and bounce ideas off them. Lean on friends and family for emotional support, but not necessarily for career support; I recommend keeping those support systems separate. Due to my own experiences and where I am currently, I co-created Playing Through Performance to be a resource for coaching, mentorship, and guidance for young girls and businesswomen. I believe this is invaluable for long-term success both as a player and as a person.
Q: Tell us about your Playing Through Performance organization as it relates to growing the game for women and creating an environment where women feel comfortable/confident to play in business outings and events, even if they are newer to the sport/game?
Playing Through Performance was co-created by me and one of my high school golf friends who is now a girls’ golf coach. As coaches, we saw the gaps, problems, and limitations the girls faced in their development and recruitment. We created Playing Through Performance to address these issues. Initially, we focused on junior golfers in middle and high school with dreams of playing college golf. However, we soon attracted working women in the business world wanting to develop their golf skills for business, moms who had never touched a club but wanted to learn to play with their kids, and older golfers wanting to improve their movement and well-being for longevity. Playing Through Performance continues to adapt to meet the needs of those seeking to improve their golf skills, mind, and body for performance or overall wellness.
Q: What else would you like to share with us?
A: I have quite the survival story, which is best heard on my podcast, especially the episode I did with my Aunt Caryn, as it is a long and emotional one. To tie it back to your first question, “Relentlessly Dedicated” are the values I resonate with most. Being diagnosed with multiple fatal diseases put my back against the wall in ways I never imagined. I had to be relentlessly dedicated to my mission, my purpose, and the present moment, or I wouldn’t have made it. The odds were heavily against me—not only to survive, but doctors told my family that if I did survive, I might be completely blind, unable to speak, move, and possibly paralyzed.
Not only did I survive, but I am thriving, far beyond what anyone imagined. Sometimes, even I am shocked at how remarkable things can turn out. I remember my infectious disease doctor at Yale telling me, “You can’t even count on one hand the number of people who have survived what you have (Invasive Aspergillus), post-transplant.” These words push me to the next level when I feel stagnant.
As a transplant recipient from an anonymous donor, I am motivated to make my second chance at life as meaningful as possible. I strive to impact people positively through golf, helping with their games, preparing their kids for college and real-life situations, and by sharing my story. My message is that no matter what life throws at you, it’s a choice how you respond. If you truly believe in yourself and back that belief with action, I believe anything is possible.
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