Billy Mayfair Autism: Speaking About His Diagnosis

After being diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder two and a half years ago, pro golfer Billy Mayfair has begun speaking publicly about living with autism.

Mayfair says what he struggles with most is processing speed, which accounts for his reputation as a slow player and his difficulty communicating with golf tour officials. “My brain gets going so quick that what I’m thinking and what comes out of my mouth could be two different things, and that’s why people sometimes misunderstand where I’m coming from,” he stated.

The Value of a Diagnosis

After receiving his diagnosis, Mayfair felt relief. He now has a better understanding of why he’s struggled with things that other people seem to find simple, and has been able to seek out the tools he needs in order to cope better with stress and make it easier to relate to others.

Mayfair says that his autism is at the root of the 2019 controversy that got him disqualified from the PGA Tour, and believes that if he had been aware of his autism diagnosis then “I would not have let the Tour—and not just the Tour but TV—take advantage of me. They bullied me and they took advantage of the situation. I would have argued with them. I would have stood up for myself. I would have said, ‘No, I did everything correctly.’”

Mental Health Awareness in Golf

Mental health is not something that’s talked about too often in the pro golf world, and Billy Mayfair’s openness about his autism is helping to create an environment where people in the sport can talk about their struggles with mental health without the fear of stigma. Mayfair and his wife are working with charities that support people with autism, and he hopes that as a pro golfer with autism, he can be a positive example for others dealing with their own mental health struggles.

Mayfair summed it up beautifully: “I have a great wife. I’m happily married. I have a wonderful son. I have lived, and I am living, the dream life. And just because I have this disability doesn’t mean that I can’t have that.”