So why play college golf? So far does it sound more like a struggle, than a fun and rewarding experience? Well, I played because I just loved the game. Some people also play because it pays their tuition. Hey, it paid mine too! But more than anything, I did what I did, because of the people--my teammates, my coach, my parents--who motivated me, encouraged me. Who celebrated my wins and picked me up when I was down.
Because there is an unexplainable joy when you are celebrating a win or even the smallest accomplishment, not just as an individual, but as a team. Because the feeling of absolute elation when your team wins the conference title and qualifies for the National Championships, makes all the hard work leading up to that moment, totally worth it. It’s something no one can take away.
With my parents being halfway across the world, my teammates were my support system when I was in college in the United States. They became my extended family. They are my support system even today - so many years on, after college golf is over. All the exhaustion and seemingly “negative” aspects that come with being a college golfer are nothing compared to what the experience actually brings. I learnt that college golf was more than playing golf to secure a scholarship to pay for my education.
The life of a college golfer builds character. College golf is an education – an education of perseverance and determination. The experience pushes an athlete to find their “inner strength” to survive in the real world beyond golf and college. That is what you can expect from college golf. The daily routine of a college golfer really instills discipline. I was recruited to play college golf for the University of Richmond’s Women’s Golf team. 3-4 hour practices, 6 times a week was the norm.
