Chris Noble, Author at High School Golf

A celebration of high school golf at the National…

August 12, 2022August 12, 2022
by Chris Noble

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Just a few years ago, a national tournament for high school golf was a foreign concept. Today, what started as an idea has become one of the country’s most important high school golf tournaments.

“Many other high school sports such as football, basketball, and baseball have national tournaments for high schoolers, so we thought, why not golf?” said National High School Golf Association (NHSGA) manager Chris Noble. “This event has become the pinnacle of high school golf and valuable to college coaches seeking hidden talent they may not see on the traditional junior golf circuit.”

One of the nation’s most diverse and inclusive national junior golf tournaments, this year’s High School Golf Invitational featured more than 500 of the top high school golfers from nearly all 50 states. The National Invitational is an event dedicated to celebrating and showcasing high school golfers at the highest level––public or private, Division 1A or 6A. This event highlights what makes high school golf so unique: families, teams, and coaches from all different cultural and financial backgrounds, races, religions, gender identities, and sexual orientations. No two players or teams are alike.

“The National Invitational is a celebration of a player’s hard work and excellence during their high school golf season,” said Noble.

Players showed strength and composure over the three-day, 54-hole event at close to 7,000 yards for boys and 6,000 yards for the girls. Twelve boys finished at even-par or better but none could catch Jake Albert, a freshman from Virginia, who fired an impressive 10-under-par three-day total. On the girl’s side, 10 girls finished at 2-over-par or better, with Jennifer Seo, junior from Arizona, taking home medalist honors with a 3-under-par three-day total. Both medalists received an exemption into the Junior PGA Championship hosted at Cog Hill in August.

Winning is nothing new for the girls from Lambert High School in Georgia. The defending champions came out of the gate firing on all cylinders and led this year’s Invitational wire-to-wire, finishing with a three-day total of 880 (+24).

“All the credit goes to the girls,” said Shane Fortenberry, Lambert High School Golf Coach. “We started the season with one goal, and their hard work and dedication throughout the school year made that possible. We look forward to competing in the National Invitational for years to come.”

In a similar fashion, the boys from Rivers Academy in Georgia couldn’t be caught after an opening round of 292 (-14), the lowest single-day team score recorded in event history. They finished with a three-day total of 875 (+11).

For the second consecutive year, Titleist and FootJoy were the Presenting Partners with the NHSGA and the National Invitational to help enrich the high school golf experience. Both partners were on-site, providing every player with the tools to play their best.

“At Titleist, we want to connect with the next generation of dedicated golfers,” said Chris Rohrs, Golfer Insights at Acushnet. “Our partnership with the NHSGA allows us to reach the players, coaches and parents and build those relationships. We’ve made great strides in the first two years working with the NHSGA and look forward to doing more in the future.”

Although some of these players will go on to play collegiate varsity golf, the reality is that only seven percent of high school golfers across the nation will have that opportunity. For those not playing varsity golf in college, the NHSGA arms students with knowledge on how to continue competing outside of the traditional varsity college golf experience. The NCCGA is the governing body for collegiate club golf and offers a competitive outlet for thousands of college students yearly.

“The National Invitational is an amazing event that gives these kids not only a great golf experience for their resume but also one of the most memorable experiences they will remember for the rest of their lives,” said Derek Fox, PGA Professional and Corner Canyon High School (UT) Golf Coach. “We are honored to have been a part of your tournament and look forward to hopefully returning for many more in the future.”

October 5, 2021

How to be an effective high school golf coach

Reading Time: 4 minutes

The future possibilities for high school golf coaches is very inspiring to reflect on. The influence you as a coach, can have on the player’s future has great potential. You will watch them practice and most of all observe them play & compete. Some of you might support technical coaching, but not all of you. We know all of you can learn to coach the human skills of the game, and all of you can learn how to best support a competitive player towards excellence and well-being. And with that encourage the parents to go along in that training.

Golfers, in general, are underperforming even with the technical advancements of today, and many get very frustrated playing the game. What is missing to get golfers to play better and enjoy it more? In our opinion, golf has two sets of fundamentals – technical fundamentals and human fundamentals.

Technical Skills x Human Skills = How You Perform

You are not a robot playing golf, you are a human being. As a human being, you are variable from day to day and even during the day. Your body, mind, and emotions are dynamic. The state of the body, mind, and emotions influences your technique to a great extent. If your body is tight and sore, it might make your rotation limited. If your mind worries about the future, it might make your tempo too quick. If you are getting frustrated because the pace of play is slow, it might make your grip pressure too tight.

A deficiency in training and practice of the Human Skills shows up as the golfer with a solid looking technique, or even a great ball-striker, but one that can’t score. It’s also the golfers with orthodox swings who seem to get the ball in the hole very efficiently.

We often call the Human Skills of the game the “hidden” fundamentals. They are hidden because they are within one’s mental, emotional, and physical state… the interior of the human experience. And they are hidden because they can’t be seen as clearly and obviously as one’s technique.

For example, you can’t see a golfer’s self-talk on a screen… but a player’s self-talk will most definitely influence and manifest a change in their technique. You can’t see if a player is not trusting a decision, but it sure shows up in the technique. It might be a putting stroke that decelerates or a swing out of sequence.

Human Skills always affect your performance state – the inner state of your body, mind, and emotions. They are hidden because they get wrapped up in words that are general and elusive, like “trust it” or “stay with the process”. Most golf teachers don’t give enough recognition and explicit coaching to Human Skills. 90% of articles on how to improve at golf are about technical skills which are good and necessary… but not the whole story.

It’s time for Human Skills to get their due. It’s time for the Human Skills to come out of the closet! Any golfer, from a tour player to a new golfer, will improve when the “hidden” fundamentals – the Human Skills – get developed along with the technical skills.

Here is your first practice session and best done on the golf course:

PLAY BOX – BE Focused!

Every shot requires you to be focused/present/athletic until the end of the motion. No more thinking. The shorter time you need, the easier it is under pressure.

DO: Play 3 holes and hold your finish for 3 seconds to make sure you are staying present until the end of the swing or stroke.

THINK BOX – BE Decisive!

Every shot requires you to make a decision in a confident way and to trust your decision about the club, shot and your Play Box. Also, to get present and engaged before stepping into the shot.

DO: Play 3 holes and say your decision about the shot in a confident manner before stepping into the shot or putt, to make sure you have made a clear decision.

MEMORY BOX – BE Confident!

For every shot you want to manage what your brain stores as a memory. Be neutral/objective to shots and processes you did not like. Be positive/happy to shots and processes that are great/good/good enough. Emotions make memories stick in the brain.

DO: Play 3 holes and feel emotionally happy for every shot that is good or good enough, and no commentary on shots you don’t like.

More about Lynn Marriott & Pia Nilsson, the founders of Vision 54

Our main goal at VISION54 is to help golfers not only swing better, be more fit, manage your mind or putt better, but to make sure you as a player can transfer these skills and perform better on the course when it matters. We believe that you have a unique strategy for playing great golf and we want you to take great care in discovering what works best for you – MY54. By doing this, you will gain clarity about your unique strategy for playing great golf, and therefore will achieve it more often.

** You can contact Lynn & Pia at InTouch@VISION54.com or visiting this link https://www.vision54.com/remote-coaching – high school golf coaches receive special discounts, use the code: SC54-C100 for SuperCoach54 & use the code: SU54-C50 for Support54

Posted By: Chris Noble

August 24, 2021

Understanding College Golf Scores

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How good are college golfers and where can I play?

With a quick search on Google followed by a click-through Golfstat, you’ll know in a matter of minutes what the best college golfers in the country are shooting — spoiler alert: they go low — and you’ll be able to tell which teams are the best in the country.

As a junior golfer, you’re likely interested in college golf scores for a few reasons, one of which is because knowing what college players are shooting helps you determine where you might be able to play college golf.

Let’s start by defining the range of college golf scores… you need to know what players on the best and worst college golf teams in each division are shooting.

College golf scores from the best teams

The NCCGA has a great piece on their blog from a few years back illuminating what the best college teams and best players in the country are shooting. This article does a nice job of summing up just how good the best teams and players really are. The way I like to think about it is that the majority of players from the top 50 teams in the country are vying to become the next class of professional golfers. They are consistently shooting scores below par and winning tournaments. It’s the highest level of amateur golf in the country.

So understanding college golf scores at the top end is important, and fortunately, relatively easy to do. We can see which teams are qualifying for the DI, DII, and DIII NCAA regional and national championships, who is winning, and what kinds of scores they are shooting at those events. We can also look at season-long scoring averages. But the lower end… that’s a lot harder.

College golf scores from the weakest teams

I struggle with calling any team “weak” because there are a variety of reasons why a team might not produce the lowest scores, but you get the gist of what I’m striving for here… which varsity teams are producing the highest college golf scores? And what are those scores?

Knowing this allows you to understand whether it’s at all possible for you to play varsity college golf. Often, I hear this question in the form of, “what are the teams with the highest scoring averages that can still offer scholarships?” Or, “which of the top academic schools shoot the highest scores?”

Between digging around on Golfstat and the American College Golf Guide, I’ve put together the list below to give you a sense of the range of scores from the bottom 3-5 teams in each division:

Men:

DI: 74.6 – 88.2

DII: 75.7 – 87.2

DIII: 76.9 – 118.1

Women:

DI: 79.6 – 100.4

DII: 79.5 – 126.0

DIII: 80.0 – 135.2

Take all this with a grain of salt. Comparing high school golf scores to college golf scores isn’t an apples-to-apples comparison. But I hope this gives you a sense of what’s possible.

College Golf Scores vs. High School Golf Scores

Several factors make junior golfers more or less likely to see their scores go up or down when they get to college. Here are a few of the factors:

Less time to practice in college (you are constantly competing, leaving little time for meaningful practice)
Academic commitments
Focus on future career / internships take priority over summer golf
Weather
Access to good coaching
Goals (motivation vs. burnout)

So while it’s a helpful first step to know what college golfers are shooting in college, there’s a lot more that goes into recruiting that scores. And just because you can see what college players are shooting, don’t assume that that’s what they were shooting as a junior… don’t assume that those are the scores/scoring averages that got them recruited.

Understanding where you can play college golf

The best way to determine which college golf programs are a good fit for your golf ability is to compare your junior golf ranking and scores to the junior ranking and scores that college players shot when they were juniors. Essentially, how good were those college players at the time they were getting recruited? That’s what you really need to know if you’re trying to determine where you can play golf in college.

The Junior Golf Scoreboard makes this data available for each graduating high school class. You can see where junior players from the last four years have been recruited, and you can view each player’s junior golf ranking in their class and tournament scoring differential when they signed their National Letter of Intent.

To make it easier to view this data and learn more about each school, I’ve put together a free search tool: The College Golf School & Scholarship Finder. It’s a great way to learn about all of the schools that offer NCAA varsity golf and identify which schools are a good fit for you based on your golf and academics.

Getting recruited is about more than just scores

As you can see from the data, there’s a lot of overlap between the level of scores that DI, DII, and DIII golfers are shooting. Many great golfers are competing at the DIII level who had the ability to be recruited to a DI team.

At the end of the day, it’s about finding a school that offers the best fit overall. And that’s what coaches are looking for, too. They want kids excited about their team, want to keep working hard throughout college and be great teammates. It’s important to keep that in mind as you are communicating with coaches throughout the recruiting process. The qualitative factors can make all the difference!

More about Claire Sheldon Richardson, the founder of PSACC (Prospective Student-Athlete College Counseling)

Claire founded PSACC after spending three years as the Assistant Women’s Golf Coach at Harvard University. During her coaching career at Harvard, she assisted the Director of Golf in the recruiting process for both the men’s and women’s golf teams. She has seen first-hand what it takes to succeed in the recruiting process and as a Division I student-athlete. She is a former 4-year varsity golfer at Harvard, serving as captain her senior year. She set records for the lowest score in Harvard Women’s Golf history and still holds the record for most tournament wins. She also helped the golf team win 21 tournaments during her four years.

**You can contact Claire at http://www.psacollegecounseling.com or via email claire@psacollegecounseling.com.

Posted By: Chris Noble

July 22, 2021

High School Golfers Shine for National Invitational at Pinehurst

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The 2021 High School Golf National Invitational took place June 23-30th at Pinehurst Resort. 560 of the top high school golfers from 46 states (plus Canada & Guam) competed in this year’s event. The National Invitational, conducted by the National High School Golf Association (NHSGA) is one of the most diverse, inclusive & prestigious national junior golf tournaments. Invitations are extended to teams and individuals based on their high school golf season performance. Public or private. Small or large. Urban or rural. All high school state championship teams, individuals, coaches, and their families are welcome.

This year’s Invitational saw the largest field in its 3-year history. Players, coaches, and teams from different cultures, financial backgrounds, races, skill levels, sexual orientations & gender identities descended on Pinehurst for two special weeks.

“The National Invitational is a celebration of a player’s hard work and excellence during their high school golf season.” – Chris Noble NHSGA Manager “This year’s event was met with eager anticipation from players, coaches, and parents after the entire spring 2020 high school golf season was canceled due to COVID-19.”

The Girls Invitational was played on Pinehurst No. 6, No. 8 & No. 9 at close to 6,000 yards. Eleven players finished at 10-over-par or better and Chloe Johnson (2022 grad from IN) won medalist honors with a one-under-par 3 day total. Team Georgia (LMB) won the team competition with a 27-over par 3 day total.

Full girl’s leaderboard

The Boys Invitational players competed on Pinehurst No. 7, No. 8 & No. 9 at close to 7,000 yards. We had eleven players finish at 5-over-par or better and Simon Kwon (2021 grad from UT) won medalist honors with a four-under-par 3 day total. Team Utah (SKY) won the team competition with a 12-over-par 3 day total, becoming back-to-back champions.

Full boy’s leaderboard

Experiencing Pinehurst for the first time for many teams and families made lasting memories. “The boys had so much fun and it created opportunities for so many great memories that they will be able to talk about and cherish for the rest of their lives.” Daniel Martinson – Oak Grove Boys Golf Coach

“The boys will never forget their experiences while there. They made lifelong memories with each other as well as new friends from around the country.” – Eric Massey Cambridge Academy

Titleist & FootJoy announced an exciting partnership with the NHSGA and the National Invitational to help enrich the high school golf experience. Both teams were on-site helping get players ready for the Invitational. Titleist provided players a special gifting experience and golf ball fittings for every player. FootJoy treated players to their new foot scan experience to help find the best fitting shoes. Titleist brought a club fitting team on the range where players could test out the latest equipment.

Our returning supporting partners, Junior Golf Hub provided each competitor with a free premium recruiting profile helping players and families simplify and streamline the college golf placement process. JGH was on-site at Pinehurst conducting Player Development Index (PDI) Assessments: a plan to achieve player’s goals in golf and to help look at one’s golf game in a different way.

The High School Golf National Invitational is conducted by the National High School Golf Association (NHSGA), a division of Nextgengolf, which is a subsidiary of the PGA of America. For more information on the NHSGA and the National Invitational, please contact Chris Noble at Chris@highschoolgolf.org

Posted By: Chris Noble

April 13, 2021

Titleist & FootJoy support high school golf

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The National High School Golf Association is excited to announce that Acushnet Company brands Titleist and FootJoy have become the Presenting Partners for the NHSGA and its annual High School Golf National Invitational.

Acushnet is the global leader in the design, development, manufacturing and distribution of performance-driven golf products, which are widely recognized for their quality excellence. Titleist–the No. 1 ball in golf and one of its leading performance equipment brands; and FootJoy–the No. 1 shoe in golf and one of golf’s top performance wear brands–will bring their support to high school golfers, their parents and coaches.

Throughout the next year, Titleist and FootJoy will engage with the High School Golf community by providing support, educational opportunities, and special incentives for coaches looking to purchase products through their local PGA Professional.

For the participants attending the 2021 High School Golf National Invitational at Pinehurst Resort in June, Titleist and FootJoy will be onsite, providing a memorable experience for the best boys and girls high school golfers from across the country. The prestigious National Invitational is the largest, strongest, most diverse and inclusive high school golf tournament in the country.

“Titleist and FootJoy have a long history and commitment to PGA Professionals and high school golf coaches, who work tirelessly to coach and train student-athletes into becoming not just great players, but quality young men and women,” said PGA President Jim Richerson. “We’re thankful that Titleist and FootJoy have decided to extend their support and dedication to the over 220,000 boys and girls who play high school golf. It’s special to play high school golf. With Acushnet as our partner, the high school golf experience is going to elevate even more.”

Public or private, suburban or rural, large or small, Titleist and FootJoy are dedicated to helping any and every high school golfer and coach succeed.

“High school golf coaches are mentors, guidance counselors and teachers,” said Peter Broome, Senior Vice President, Titleist Brand & Industry Relations, Acushnet Company. “As the conduit to our next generation of golfers, they are important stakeholders in the game. On behalf of Titleist and FootJoy, we appreciate the important role they play and we are excited for this opportunity to partner with the NHSGA as we, together, enrich the high school golf experience.”

To learn more about special incentives and purchase programs that high school golf coaches and teams can receive through Titleist & FootJoy, please visit the purchase program page.

Posted By: Chris Noble

March 25, 2021

Junior Golf Hub supports high school golfers, coaches &…

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For the third year in a row, Junior Golf Hub will be a proud returning partner of the 2021 High School Golf National Invitational at Pinehurst this June. The National Invitational is the largest and most diverse high school golf tournament in existence. This year, we will welcome 560 of the top high school golfers from nearly all 50 states to the Cradle of American Golf.

The relationship between the NHSGA and Junior Golf Hub is a natural one. High school golfers are able to better understand their journey and steps to college golf by utilizing the tools, technology and knowledge JGH has available. The world of college golf recruiting can be confusing and JGH helps families successfully navigate it. Where other athletic recruiting networks specialize in all different types of sports, JGH solely focuses on golf.

For all 2021 Nat’l Invitational participants, each player will receive a complimentary membership to Junior Golf Hub for one year and a 30-day trial to their Premium Membership. What does that mean? Players will have access to create a digital online college golf recruiting profile, access to a college golf program database (2,200 + schools), and exclusive content, webinars & resources to help them through their journey.

JGH staff will be on-site at Pinehurst this June for activation with families, coaches, and players. Rick Dowling, JGH director of customer success, “ Junior Golf Hub and the NHSGA share in a mission to bring trusted resources to the high school golfer and their family. At this year’s National Invitational, JGH coaches will be on-site conducting PDI (Player Development Index) Assessments to provide participants with an objective measurement of their game and a baseline to kickstart their journeys to better golf. We also invite all National Invitational participants to download our JGH mobile app and access our Premium Membership to track their player development, better understand the tournaments and college golf program landscape, and get enhanced exposure to college golf coaches.”

Additional info on how to set up your PDI with Junior Golf Hub at Pinehurst will be communicated closer to the event.

If you would like to learn more about Junior Golf Hub and how they can help your family navigate the college golf recruiting journey, please visit their site or contact Rick Dowling at rick@juniorgolfhub.com

Posted By: Chris Noble

March 2, 2021

College golf by the numbers

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High School golfers across the country dream about playing college golf one-day, but many don’t know what options are available. There are over 220,000 high school golfers that play annually each year, and less than 4% of those will play at the NCAA Division 1 level. However, there are many other options available.

High School Golf

223,021

of high school students play golf each year

19,143

of those high school students make it to play varsity golf in college

3.3%

of high school students compete at the NCAA Division I level

62:1

odds of a high school student playing on a NCAA Division I Golf Team

college golf teams in Alaska, the least of any state

104

college golf teams in Pennsylvania, the most of any state

High School Golf National Invitational

Men’s College Golf

NCAA Division I

301

Teams

2,941

Total golfers

Athletes on the average men’s golf roster

4.5

Scholarship limit for a men’s golf team

$18,015

Average athletic scholarship dollars per player per year

NCAA Division II

221

Teams

2,291

Total golfers

Athletes on the average men’s golf roster

3.6

Scholarship limit for a men’s golf team

$6,495

Average athletic scholarship dollars per player per year

NCAA Division III

312

Teams

3,211

Total golfers

Athletes on the average men’s golf roster

Athletic scholarships available at the NCAA DIII level (academic & merit-based scholarships are available)

National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA)

177

Teams

1,787

Total golfers

Athletes on the average men’s golf roster

Scholarship limit for a men’s golf team

$7,836

Average athletic scholarship dollars per player per year

National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA)

169

Teams

1,153

Total golfers

Students on the average men’s golf roster

Scholarship limit for a men’s golf team

$2,137

Average athletic scholarship dollars per player per year

National Collegiate Club Golf Association (NCCGA)

Did you know that there are over 400 colleges and universities that have organized club golf teams? The National Collegiate Club Golf Association (NCCGA) runs competitive weekend college golf tournaments for students during the Fall and Spring semesters

Not sure if you are good enough to play varsity golf in college? Check out Junior Golf Hub – JGH helps players and parents navigate the journey to college golf. Check out Junior Golf Hub’s recruiting platform.

Women’s College Golf

NCAA Division I

270

Teams

2,220

Total golfers

Athletes on the average women’s golf roster

Scholarship limit for a women’s golf team

$18,827

Average athletic scholarship dollars per player per year

NCAA Division II

198

Teams

1,547

Total golfers

Athletes on the average women’s golf roster

5.4

Scholarship limit for a women’s golf team

$7,986

Average scholarship dollars per player per year

NCAA Division III

248

Teams

1,787

Total golfers

Athletes on the average women’s golf roster

Athletic scholarships available at the NCAA DIII level (academic & merit-based scholarships are available)

National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA)

171

Teams

1,202

Total golfers

Athletes on the average women’s golf roster

Scholarship limit for a women’s golf team

$7,733

Average scholarship dollars per player per year

National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA)

Teams

317

Total golfers

Athletes on the average women’s golf roster

Scholarship limit for a women’s golf team

$2,627

Average scholarship dollars per player per year

For those who do not wish to participate at the varsity level in college and would prefer a more relaxed and fun atmosphere, club golf could be the answer. The unique part about club golf is that it is co-ed and welcome to all player abilities to play golf in our events. The potential to compete in weekend events 2-3 times each semester, without missing a class during the week appeals to many parents and students. In addition, 2 National championships a year. What level of golf will you find yourself playing in college?

*statistics for article provided by https://scholarshipstats.com/golf

Posted By: Chris Noble

February 10, 2021

Golf fitness for any high school golfer

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The NHSGA recently sat down with PGA Professional and fitness guru Justin Nogay of Peak Golf Fitness in Maryland to learn about simple fitness tips any high school golfer or team can work on.

Fitness has shown to be a vital part of any competitive golfers’ training. But with so much time spent on the course and practicing, there is typically little to no time spent working on fitness. Recently we have seen a lot more exposure to the importance of physical activity and golf. No longer is this an added bonus, but more of a necessity for golfers who want to compete at a high level. With gym time typically limited in the season, here are some great tips and drills you can start doing.

Warm-Up

Warming up is arguably the most underrated area in terms of performance and injury prevention. At my facility we have a saying; we warm up to swing, not swing to warm up. Most golfers will typically start their “warmup” by taking some slow swings and hitting wedges. Instead, do a proper dynamic warm-up to appropriately prepare for the activity about to be performed. The research is clear, warming up properly helps with performance. Remember, the warmup should be dynamic and athletic, not static! Here are two great warm-up routines you can start doing before taking any swings.

Full Warm-Up

Quick Warm-Up Routine

Too little is better than too much

When finally starting to begin exercising and maintain a consistent regiment, always start on the lighter side in terms of length. If we begin trying to do hour-long workouts immediately, sometimes that can get too time consuming or overwhelming. When this happens, we typically see the plan fall apart. Instead, start with what you think is too little and master that first. Find yourself wanting to do more, and then you may begin adding exercises to the routine.

Justin can be reached at Peak Golf Fitness or at justin@peakgolffitness.com and wants to help answer any questions to better your team’s fitness.

Posted By: Chris Noble

February 2, 2021

High school club champion golfers competing for a national…

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Winning your club championship is a big deal. Winning it while you are in high school, remarkable. Two high school golfers, Alyssa Buist a senior at Ridgeline High School in Utah, and Emma Abramson, a sophomore from Massachusetts, join elite company by adding their names to their respective club championship titles while still in high school. With their wins, Alyssa and Emma will both make history competing in the inaugural PGA National Club Championship at Pinehurst Resort this March. We caught up with them both as they gear up to compete for a national title.

Can you tell me a bit more about you, your golf journey, club champ winning details?

Emma – “I love having the opportunity to excel on and off the course. In the classroom, I have utilized my leadership and communication skills by serving as Class President for the past two years. I am also a Sports Illustrated Kids Kid Reporter (1 of 10 selected across the country) where I’ve had the amazing opportunity to interview prominent professional sports figures including Coach Krzyzewski, Bobby Orr, Suzy Whaley, Ben Crenshaw, Jane Blalock, Brad Faxon, and recently Vanderbilt’s football sensation Sarah Fuller. Golf has always been my greatest passion, but up until a couple of years ago, I also played on competitive soccer, basketball, and dance teams and I love to ski.

Team sports have made me a better golf teammate and mentally tougher. Coming from Massachusetts, I’ve been known to play (a lot!) in 30-degree weather in my snow pants and a wooly hat or take my shovel to the driving range! Over the last few years, I have become friends with many of the early morning maintenance workers and late-night crew at my home course.”

Alyssa – “I am a senior at Ridgeline High School in Logan, UT. I have played mostly basketball and softball my whole life until I discovered golf. I live in Logan with my parents and sister and two dogs. I enjoy outdoor activities that include not only golf, but skiing, hiking, and rock climbing.

I started playing golf seriously when I was 14 years old. I chose to try out for my high school golf team in 9th grade and made the team. I was able to earn a spot on the Varsity team as a Freshman and have been able to play in each Varsity tournament since then. As a Freshman, I was able to play in our state championship and ended up being ranked 32nd in the state. My sophomore year my high school won the state championship and I was able to move up to 15th in the state. Unfortunately, my junior golf season was canceled due to COVID, but the state Jr PGA put on an individual state tournament that I was able to play. I placed 5th in the state. Over the past summer, I played in many UJGA and Jr PGA tournaments. At the end of the summer, I placed 3rd in Jr PGA for my age group. All of this has led up to the Club Championship at Logan River Golf Course.”

How did it feel to be the youngest winner ever in the club’s history?

Emma – “This past summer I had the chance to play in our 36 hole stroke play Women’s Club Championship. The women were very welcoming of me and I really enjoyed my time out there on the course. On the final 9 holes of the tournament, neighborhood friends and members came out to watch and cheer me on. On the last hole, I had a 40 yard shot out of a bunker I had never been in before to a par 5 green surrounded by water. I was able to get it on and two-putt for par to win by 5! Winning at age 14 was really cool as this was the first non-junior event I played at my club. I now get to have my name etched on the wall of past club champions and get to go to Pinehurst!”

Alyssa – “The Club Championship was a two-day tournament over a two week period. At the end of the first day, I was in 3rd place with a score of 82. That morning I had another tournament at a different golf course. So I ended up playing 36 holes that day. On the second day of the tournament, I was paired with the two people ahead of me at that point. One of them being the current and 4-year consecutive winner of the Club Championship, Julie, and the other had also won the Club Championship in the previous year. I was 5 strokes behind the leader, Julie, going into the round. I was pretty intimidated because all of the women are way more experienced than I am. I think it is pretty cool that someone that is young and doesn’t have as much experience can be the champion. The other women in the association were pretty excited for me being so young and to have a new champion.”

What are you looking forward to most about Pinehurst?

Emma – “I am thrilled to have the opportunity to go back to Pinehurst, but this time to be playing in a competitive tournament. In spring 2017, I went to Pinehurst on my first father-daughter golf trip with my friend and her dad. We got to play courses 4, 8, and 9. It was an amazing experience playing the unique golf courses, bonding with my dad, and getting to eat at the 1895 grill! Now to return to Pinehurst several years later, with my dad caddying for me, I am excited to have fun, use my new skills, attack the courses, and take on the Donald Ross challenge!”

Alyssa – “I am excited for a few reasons. I have watched tournaments on TV at Pinehurst and am so excited to play at such a famous course. I can’t believe that I am going to get to play on Course No. 2, the same course as the best golfers in the world have played on. My dad has been a HUGE part of my golf career and success and I am excited that he is going to caddy for me and we are going to be able to play a practice round together before the tournament.”

Wishing Alyssa and Emma all the best next month as they compete at Pinehurst Resort for the PGA National Club Championship while making history in the process. The NHSGA will also be heading back to Pinehurst in June for the 2021 National Invitational. If you have a club champion that you would like to recognize, you are able to submit them on pgaclubchamp.org

Posted By: Chris Noble

November 16, 2020

Massachusetts high school golfers shine at Shaker Hills

Reading Time: 3 minutes

On Sunday, November 7th the National High School Golf Association along with the New England Section of the PGA and Mass Golf hosted the 2020 Massachusetts High School Championship at Shaker Hills Country Club. In an effort to provide a canceled postseason tournament for high school golfers in Massachusetts, the championship showcased 104 of the top high school golfers in the state. Dan Brooks, a 2021 grad from Shepard Hill earned medalist honors with a two-under-par 70. We sat down with Dan to learn more about his high school golf journey and what he has his sights set on in college and beyond

● Can you tell us a little about how long you’ve been playing golf for & how you got into the game?

“I have been playing golf since I was four years old. My Dad was also a golfer and got me started. I really started focusing on golf as my main sport starting in 8th grade.”

● What do you enjoy most about playing golf?

“I enjoy the challenge of playing golf. No matter what level I reach I know that there is always room to improve.”

● You’ve been playing high school golf for three years now, what is your favorite thing about playing high school golf compared to just individual tournaments in the summer?

“High school golf is a great opportunity to represent your school and community in a way that individual summer tournaments do not offer. In individual tournaments, usually, my name is shown while in high school golf your school is listed as well. I love having that opportunity to represent my high school and community.”

● What does high school golf mean to you?

“High school golf has meant a lot to me. Through high school golf I made friends, was able to represent my school, and was given the opportunity to compete at a high level against the many of the best in Massachusetts.”

● What did it mean to win the Mass High School Championship with no state championship this year?

“It was an honor to win this unique championship, especially with this year being my senior year. I can’t thank the NHSGA and everyone who played a role in putting on this championship enough.”

● Can you tell me about a time when you had to face some adversity in your life or game and how you dealt with it?

“In golf, I have found that there are high and low points in everyone’s games. I have learned that it is important to move on from bad tournaments and to understand that there are too many tournaments to get hung up on one poor performance.”

● Are you looking to play golf in college?

“I am committed to play golf at Siena College.”

● What are some of the goals that you have set for the rest of your high school/junior golf career?

“Now that my college decision is over, my main goal for the rest of my junior golf career is to get myself prepared to be successful at the collegiate level.”

● Any advice that you would give to other high school golfers out there that are looking to better their games?

“My advice would be to practice more and to believe in your own ability. Playing confident and being committed to shots will lower scores.”

Posted By: Chris Noble