As workforce reductions in the federal sector persist, employees grapple with job instability, increased responsibilities, and uncertain futures.
BOWIE, Md. — For the second consecutive week, federal employees have been asked to submit a list of five accomplishments. This is part of the ongoing effort to reduce the federal workforce. It’s a move that has many employees on edge.
Some federal workers are already making the difficult decision to walk away, opting for what is known as the federal deferred resignation, or buyout, program.
For one longtime federal employee made the bold decision to leave to pursue his passion for golf.
Noah Gay, a young athlete, explains the fundamentals of the game with a simple approach: “this is a driver,” he says. “It’s the club that goes the farthest.”
For newcomers to the sport, some shots may not go as planned but at The Lab 301, an indoor golf facility, both the young and the young at heart are learning more than just the sport.
Jeris Bowlding, a former federal employee, is teaching more than just golf.
Bowlding is one of the 75,000 federal workers who took a buyout after a long career with a federal agency— one he preferred not to name.
“Yes, working for the federal government was an amazing opportunity,” Bowlding said “But now I get to serve my community.”
After 23 years of federal service, the decision to leave was not an easy one.
“It was kind of a shock, like ‘what am I going to do?’” he said.
But after careful consideration and discussions with his wife, Bowlding decided to pivot into a new role as the president of Excel Golf, a nonprofit aimed at helping kids from all backgrounds play golf.
“To get into the game of golf it can be anywhere from $300 to $1,000 just to learn,” he said.
Excel’s mission is to create an accessible, affordable space for young people to learn the game.
“We do have a very big goal of to create a junior golf facility that’s dedicated to teaching kids how to play the game,” Bowlding says.
However, achieving this goal requires funds and land, both of which take time to secure.
So, Bowlding and his partners are chipping away at the goal, holding swing clinics and working with students in need to get them on the course. The planned academy will also include afterschool programs, with a target opening date of 2028.
Like golf, not every shot is perfect.
“Sometimes it will go exactly where I want it to go,” Bowlding said. “But that’s what we always tell our kids, you might not hit the ball great every time, but have the mindset that the next shot is going to be your best shot.”
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