What JGA has Meant to Me:
I don’t know where to start. JGA is the foundation of my love for golf. Throughout life i have kept some key memories of my childhood that i still remember clearly. The year 2012 seems like forever ago. That summer i played my first golf tournament ever. I was 8 years old and had no clue what i was doing nor where this sport would take me. I won that tournament. Although i was only 8 years old I knew i wanted that feeling of winning and being out on the course to last forever.
Not only did i find my fuel to play golf at a JGA tournament but i also found a home. JGA was such a great tour to start playing competitive golf at such a young age. I have learned a lot in these past 10 years and one of my biggest takeaways is that you need to enjoy what you do above everything. I have played some of my best golf when i was truly having fun on the course. JGA not only provided the competitive aspect to make me grow as a player but the staff was so welcoming that they made me enjoy every second of these last 10 years. Early Monday mornings in the summer were always filled with smiles and welcomes from everyone as I entered the course. Along with great staff i met some great friends along the way as well through JGA. Having a common love for golf and seeing many of these kids every week in the summer every year, I quickly found some pretty amazing friends that after all this time I am still in contact with.
JGA is a family to me. I grew up with these people and they watched me grow up as well. They watched a small 8 year old with high dreams turn into an 18 year old with accomplishments and even higher dreams then before. Every summer I am reminded of the reason I started to play golf in the first place. Simply because it’s fun. I have put in so much hard work and sweat in the past 10 years to reach my goal of college golf and improve as much as I can that sometimes i forget about this reason. It is so important for me to remember this and the JGA does just that every single year.
Now i am on to the next chapter of my life. I graduated high school and carry the best memories with me as I move on. So many up and downs that all make me who I am today. Going into college and about to become a collegiate golf player, I am ready to give it my all and reach my dream of playing on the LPGA tour. I know these next four years will require a lot of dedication and long days ahead of me but no matter where life takes me I will never forget my roots and hope to give back to the JGA for all they’ve done for me the past 10 years.
