For Whitefish High School senior and team captain Aiden Rickels, the intricacies of golf are what life is all about.  

“It teaches you to get through the hard moments,” Rickels said. “You just have to know it’s a process, and life is a process. You can’t get caught up on one shot – or one bad moment in life.

“You have to think about the big picture and take one step a time, and have a growth mindset, whether it comes to golf, life, school or relationships.” 

The growth mindset is something he’s built over time. Born in Colorado, Rickels began playing golf when he was just 5 years old. His dad, who started playing when he was 11 and has kept at it for about 40 years, has been a big inspiration, Rickels said. 

“Every weekend growing up, we could go out on the par 3 course. That’s how I grew up. 

“It’s great father-son bonding time. He’s shared the great game of golf with me. It’s been great for us, and my life.”   

While he enjoys the mental aspect of the game, he says it’s a double-edged sword. Navigating slumps can be nothing but a duel against oneself.  

Getting caught up in a bad shot, or just one bad day, can lead to overthinking, he explained. 

“Any day, you can have an off game, and it can spiral into weeks, months. Going through a slump is the toughest thing, and you can really beat yourself up for it,” he said.  

Fortunately, Rickels hasn’t hit much of a slump for his senior season.  

He said he started out a little slow, shooting an 81 at Missoula Country Club. He followed that with a 74 in Bigfork and an 80 at the Kalispell Invite.  

This week he improved, shooting a 70 at the Polson Invitational, placing third.  

The team has been performing well this season, too.  

“We have a tight connection,” he said. “I think we’re trending in the right direction for the future, for divisionals and state.”  

Off the golf course, Rickels is disciplined. He also plays basketball and is involved in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.  

“I’m a hard-working student,” he said. “I discipline myself when it comes to how I act in the classroom, how I treat my fellow classmates and teachers, and how I handle homework and academics.”  

Finding balance and practicing healthy habits is always a challenge, but his mindset learned in golf carries over.  

“Even in the hard moments, in a tough test, I try to stay positive, and keep that growth mindset, no matter how hard the challenge is,” he said.  

Rickels said he’s confident in going to college and would like to study business because he enjoys math, especially the AP statistics class he’s currently in.  

He’s reached out to a few golf coaches, but as to whether he plays golf collegiately, or at a club level is up in the air.  

Not surprisingly, he’s optimistic about both options for the future.