NWO Golf Links November 2015

17 / 36

NWO Golf Links
your best statistically and
you struggled throughout the
year, have you analyzed what
needs to improve?”
Powers said, “I had driver
issues for most of the year; it’s
difficult to post good scores
when you lose one or twoballs
each round out of bounds.
That lack of confidence with
the long game seeped over
into the rest of my game.”
Another valuable lesson she
learned was that a short-
term memory is mandatory,
because each week starts
anew, with new opportunities
for success. A positivemindset
is just as important as making
a five-foot putt.
Caroline was relieved when
the 2015 Symetra Tour season
ended but realized that she
turn 18 years old until July
and cannot play full-time on
the LPGA Tour until then.
We asked Caroline for her
opinion; “As someone who
finished college and has been
a touring pro for two years,
what advice would you give
Nelly Korda?”
“I am 100% in favor of every
golfer attending college for at
least one or two years. It was
such a wonderful experience
for me, being a member of
a team and making great
friendships. College allows
a young player to have time
to grow and learn, without
the pressures of earning a
paycheck each week.”
Powers is just one of a long line
of Golf Professionals in her
family. Her mother and uncle,
as well as, several cousins are
teaching professionals. One of
her cousins, Nick Myers is the
Head Professional at Highland
Meadows, the home of the
LPGA’s Marathon Classic. In
addition, her father was the
Head Coach of the BGSU
Hockey Team for many years.
Another cousin preceded her
as a member of the LPGATour
and is now the Head Coach
of the University of Florida
Women’s Golf Team.
She says it is a huge plus to
have a great support system in
place at home, plus her Uncle
David, and cousin, Emily
Bastel-Glaser, have been huge
sources of information for life
as a touring professional.
had learned more, was
playing better than her scores
indicated and accepted a
positive, as well as, relaxed
mindset for Q-School.
She played well in the
second stage of LPGA
qualifying, finished tied for
45th and earned a spot in the
Final Stage of Q-School at
the beginning of December.
“After playing in a few events
on the LPGA Tour, what is
the difference between the
competition on the LPGATour
versus the Symetra Tour?”
Powers stated that the fields on
both the Symetra and LPGA
Tours are filled with great
young women golfers. The
main difference being that
LPGA Tour players make fewer
mistakes, but when they do,
they have the shots to get back
in play and avoid a disastrous
score on that one hole.
She feels the Symetra Tour
has been a wonderful training
ground for her to learn how
to compete, travel and
understand the demands of
professional golf. She is ready
to accept the next challenge
on the big tour.
There seems to be a depth of
very young women finding
their way to the LPGA and
Symetra Tours every year. The
sister of LPGA Tour winner,
Jessica Korda, 17-year-old
Nelly, won the second stage
of Q-School and now must
decide, whether to attend
college or play the Symetra
Tour next year. She will not
You can follo on r o