At the age of 8 I took my first golf lesson with PGA teaching pro, John Bowen, at the Old 82nd driving range (now closed). I picked up the game quickly and it didn't take long before I was busting 150 yard drives down the range. I continued to get lessons and play the occasional round of golf with my Dad.
At the age of 12 I competed in my first tournament. I placed 3rd. Not exactly an accomplishment when you consider that only 3 girls were competing. I was still happy to get a trophy.
When I was 14 I started to take the game a little more seriously. By this age, I could break 100 consistently and my Dad saw a lot of potential in my game and encouraged me to play on my high school team. As a freshman, I tried out and made the team.
I never really liked golf in high school. I played golf because it allowed me to skip a lot of school in the springtime, and I was fairly good at it. By my sophomore year, I was able to break 90 consistently but I still didn't like having to practice all the time and I hated competing.
The highlight of my high school career happened at the state championships during my senior year. I shot a personal best, 84, on the first day of the tournament. I was in 6th place and my name was mentioned in the newspaper the next morning. Unfortunately, my hot streak didn't last on day two and I missed out on a top 10 finish by a couple strokes.
Except for the occasional scramble or twilight round, my clubs gathered dust during my college years. After college I started playing again. I enjoyed the game as long as I only played 9 holes and didn't keep score. My husband (who also plays golf) and I decided to join Persimmon Country Club in Gresham, OR in 2009.
I started playing and practicing more, and my game started to improve. I found that passion I never had before. My favorite Persimmon memory to date is standing by myself on the 12th tee on a warm summer evening. The sun is setting and the sky is turning pink. I have a clear view of Mt. Hood, Mt. Adams, and Mt. St. Helen's. It was one of the most peaceful moments of my life.
I currently try to balance work, golf, and spending time with my husband, family, friends, which is no easy task. I know I have the potential to get to scratch if I can remain disciplined and committed for a few years. We'll see what happens...
