Tag Archives: golf tournament

My First Professional Golf Tournament

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At the Duramed Futures Tour in Hammond, Indiana:

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What a week! Monday night I flew into Chicago with David Braykovich of MAVRIK Golf.  David was there for my first professional tournament experience and also caddied for me.  Tuesday I spent the day at the course practicing, trying to get a feel for the greens by practicing a lot of chipping out of the northern rough (I’m from Florida where we have Bermuda grass).

I also got to spend some time with my former high school teammate Heather Burgner and her college teammate Jackie Barenborg. They were kind enough to give me a few rides; we practiced and ate lunch together. Wednesday we were only able to get a few holes in before a storm hit.  Due to a pro-am in the afternoon, all we could do was practice once the weather cleared up, but luckily Thursday we were able to play the full 18.

I felt really good going into the first round on Friday. I played well minus one bad swing and a couple small mental mistakes.  I shot 75.  After the round I felt like I had made myself proud; I didn’t let the nerves get to me and competed well in my first round as pro. It was scary, frustrating and so thrilling all at the same time. The next day I knew I needed to play well to make the cut. I came out to the course with a little more determination than the day before. I finished with a 73 and missed the cut by only one.

While it was easy to be disappointed, I was still proud. I had no difficulty adapting to the competition, and I have great confidence going into this week for the next tournament in Kentucky.

Dolores White, a recent Wake Forest University Women’s Golf Team graduate, hits the road for a summer filled with golf tournaments. But this year it will be different. She is now a professional. Dolores is keeping us posted on the ins and outs of being a young professional golfer.

How to Begin Playing Golf

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Back to the beginning….

Junior golfer in Wear to Win skort

When I was 11 years old, my dad thought it would be a good idea that my younger sister and I learn to play golf. I had grown up dancing, playing tennis and soccer, and did not really consider trying to play golf. One summer afternoon, my dad took us to the range. I had three Ping irons and a 7-wood in a purple bag. I immediately began swinging away, topping and wiffing every ball–super frustrating.

My dad came over and gave me a few pointers–how to stand, how to grip the club and the general motion to swing the club. He also made me tee up all of the balls, rather than hitting them off the ground. Towards the end of the bucket, I began getting some in the air.

After a couple more outings to the driving range, I was able to hit my 7 wood in the air to the 100 yard marker.  My frustration turned into determination. That same summer my dad enrolled me in a 9-hole golf match. I was so nervous. I had never played an entire 9 holes, while walking and carrying my own bag. I shot a 99 for that round–not for 18 holes, but a 99 for 9 holes…very embarrassing. I wanted to go back to focusing on tennis, soccer and dance. My parents both convinced me to stick with golf for the rest of the summer. By going out a couple evenings to the driving range, I continued to improve. I began breaking 70, then 60 and then consistently shot in the 50s. I was hooked!

That summer marked the beginning of a game that has had a huge impact on my life. From traveling to courses all over the country, meeting friends, networking and challenging myself, the game of golf has lead to numerous opportunities. Whether playing just for fun with friends or competing in local or national tournaments, golf will teach you invaluable lessons that you will use for the rest of your life.

How to start:

  1. Check out local golf courses, some of them have summer leagues for junior golfers. This is a great place to start. You will make friends with other junior golfers in your area.
  2. Go online to see if your county has a junior county golf tour. I began competing in the St. Joseph County Golf Tour in Indiana. These tournaments are fun because they allow you to play at different courses, sometimes even the private golf courses in your area.
  3. Go to your local course and take some lessons. Whether they are private or small clinics, it is important to understand the basics of golf.
  4. Practice, practice, practice. Golf is a game of creativity. Golf is unique because you get firsthand feedback from what the ball does. By going out and experimenting with a different stance, a different grip and different clubs, you will learn what works and what does not.

So this was my beginning. What about you? How did you start?