On a chilly Easter Sunday morning in Georgia, the rain had passed, and the clouds started to break over Augusta National Golf Club.
For Wellness co-founders Dave Phillips and Phil Mickelson both started their day, as they always do, with coffee. The day ahead, however, was not like most other days.
Dave’s student, Jon Rahm, was one shot behind tournament leader Brooks Koepka. Dave made his coffee and left the house early to be with Jon as he set out to win his first green jacket, 40 years after his countryman Seve Ballesteros won his second.
Jon would prevail. And Dave was there for every shot, watching from the gallery, his backpack full of Superfood Energy Bites and our soon-to-be-released Recovery Gummies.
Phil had made the cut in his 30th Masters’ appearance and was feeling good about his golf game, but was seven shots behind the leaders.
By late afternoon, after the lowest Masters round by a man his age, Phil found himself the leader in the clubhouse, shooting a 65 in an electric round with eight birdies.
Dave and Phil shared a high-five and an embrace under the tree in front of the clubhouse before congratulating Jon on his win. A very special Masters tournament came to a close.
Just how has Phil Mickelson, at 52 years old, had such an extended career? He is free of injury and pain and hitting the ball past guys half his age.
When he started working with his trainer Sean Cochran 20 years ago, they decided to focus on longevity and an elongated career, rather than short-term muscle gain.
That meant working on muscle elasticity and flexibility over big muscles. He also built up his stamina by going on long hikes with his wife, Amy.
At age 40, he was diagnosed with Psoriatic Arthritis, an inflammatory condition that is devastating for a professional athlete. With his team’s help, he was able to make changes to his diet and build a routine that set him on the path to wellness.
In short, he took accountability for his health and started to think about everything that he put into his body. Dave and Phil’s idea to start For Wellness was born from this mission… helping people get good stuff into their bodies to live healthier lives.
Phil has added The Good Stuff to his coffee for over ten years. The natural antioxidants in coffee help his overall wellness, and the anti-inflammatory effect of The Good Stuff has been a factor in Phil’s arthritis taking a back seat.
In recent months Phil added a Physical Therapist to his team to continue to work on his flexibility and movement, which is critical when you are Phil’s age.
Phil’s brother and caddie, Tim, keeps his golf bag topped up with healthy snacks, including our Superfood Energy Bites and, for the first time this week, our new Recovery Gummies.
Dave and Phil have built great teams around them, and great routines to improve their health.
At For Wellness we are proud to work alongside them. Their focus on wellness and continued performance is an inspiration to all of us.