Elizabeth Holden '25 Recruiting Profile

Despite my grandparents owning a beautiful nine-hole course, and it being right in my backyard, I spent the first thirteen years of my athletic career dancing. The summer prior to my freshman year of high school, I decided that I really wanted to start focusing on my golf. I began taking lessons and joined the high school team that August. My father also built a driving range at our home course for me to start more purposeful practice.  In my  first year, I was shooting scores in the high to mid fifties and I had yet to break one hundred for eighteen holes. I only played one varsity match but that season I fell in love with the constant challenge that was golf. After narrowly missing the cut in the state qualifier, I was determined to improve  my golf game and make it the next year. I worked tirelessly all winter, trying to fine tune my swing. I spent almost every day at my golf course’s clubhouse hitting on the  indoor simulator. My sophomore year, I had a consistent spot on the varsity team and I was starting to shoot scores in the forties. That year, I had my career round of ninety at the state qualifier and was able to move forward to  the state championship. After a somewhat disappointing score of one hundred and eleven at the state championship, my only focus was putting up a more competitive score for the next year. I spent the whole winter working on my swing and trying to think through  course management strategies. To help with this, my parents built a stand alone building  in my backyard with a simulator and putting green. This year I played on the number two spot on my team and shot an eighty nine at the state championship, placing runner-up in girls class B in Maine. My score qualified me to play in the girls New England Championship where I placed tied for 27th. The quality that my golf story displays is that I am very determined. Each year I came into the season with goals, whether they were qualifying for the state championship or being competitive in the state championship. I worked endlessly towards these goals, and in the end, made them a reality. I will bring this committed mindset to the table when playing collegiate golf. One of the biggest reasons I fell in love with golf was the competitive aspect of it. As someone who danced for 13 years, I was always bothered by the subjective nature of the judging. With golf, I go out on the course, shoot a score, and that is my score. I have full control of my individual outcome. I also love that golf allows me to continue to be part of a team while I compete individually. Every time I go out on the course I want to push myself to be better. I feel this drive and determination when I know that I am the one solely in control of my achievements. I believe this mindset will allow me to continue to improve my golf game and reach my goals as it is the same way I have approached my academic career.  My goal entering my freshman year was to be valedictorian and I am currently ranked #1 in my class of 155 students. 

This winter my main focus is making my swing more consistent, adding swing speed and improving my short game. In my career round of 78 in October of this year, I was 17 of 18 greens in regulation. Despite this, I had 5 three putts. Overall, my short game was my biggest struggle this year. So far this winter, I have worked on putting in my indoor building. Each day I will pick a distance: 3 ft., 4ft., 5ft., etc. and then hit at least 100 putts from that distance. I am trying to build up my muscle memory with my putting as well as my overall confidence with the putter. My hope is that by the time my outdoor season starts, I will be able to stand over shorter putts and feel confident that I will make them. As well as putting practice, I am hitting golf balls in my simulator room almost every day. I have also added strength training, particularly core training, to my daily routine.  Once, every two weeks, my golf swing coach comes to my indoor golf facility and works on fine tuning my swing. My goal is to improve the transition to my left side in my downswing. Right now, I am losing power by getting a bit too steep,  leading to being stuck inside, then jumping up to clear space and not making a strong transition to my left. Thank you for taking the time to explore my story and I hope you keep me in mind.