Turning the pandemic in to an opportunity
My bags were packed for the trip to Augusta with Charlotte 49ers. We didn’t know we had already played our last tournament for the school that day when we practiced at Rocky River. One of the girls got a text from a friend and a few minutes later, our coach called us into the team room and told us about the news that NCAA had cancelled all further competition that spring.
A few days later, I was on a plane to California. My lovely grandparents live in Nipomo, CA where I had spent several Thanksgiving breaks previous years. I found out that the local golf club was about to start a college academy for all the college players in the area who had come home from their schools. Together with 8 other college players and two coaches, we spent everyday from 10am til sunset together on the golf course Monarch Dunes. We had an amazing time together and got a lot better.
In California I built up a new team. I kept working with the two coaches in Rory Doll Golf Academy, Tony Consolino and Rory Doll. They increased my awareness of my swing and the mental aspect of my game. The group of golfers were mainly guys who play a lot more aggressive golf than I was used to in women’s college golf. They taught me to play smart but utilize my strengths, to see different shot shapes and use imagination, and that it doesn’t have to be perfect to score well. It was fun, and we competed a ton against each other. One day, I shot my best score ever at the time (-7) and got beat by 3 strokes! It wasn’t the first time it had happened either. We played great golf together and had lots of fun doing it. With school being online in Charlotte, the time difference meant early mornings but also being done around 9am. I had all day long to play golf and workout, and the new team helped me to get the best out of myself.
My grandparents were and are essential and some of my greatest supporters. We had dinners together, watched movies, and discussed life. Solved sudoko’s and ate pancakes on Sunday’s, and watched sunsets in the yard. Life was good; I got better at golf, and my grandparents had someone there to take care of them if they needed it. Grandpa and I played golf together at times and introduced me to his friends.
I am extremely fortunate to have found this amazing group of people in Nipomo, CA, all because of the pandemic. It changed me and my golf game for the better, I got closer to my grand parents, and I found a new place to call home.