Resiliance by Rachel

Resiliance by Rachel - May 2026 Scholarship Essay

Everyone tries to promote themselves in the best light, but I know I have put forth the effort to endure and be successful.The biggest life lesson I have learned is resilience. The American Psychological Association defines resilience as, “the ability to adapt well to adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats, or significant stress, allowing individuals or systems to "bounce back" from difficult experiences and recover, or even grow, from challenges.” We all know that golf can cause stress, trauma, tragedy, anger, joy, and euphoria depending on your last shot.

I did not start playing golf until the summer before my 9th grade year. I had just gotten cut from the cheer team, and was disappointed. My sister and I stay a week with my aunt and uncle every summer in June. While there, he suggested that I try golf. He said, unlike cheer, it is a sport you can grow old with. He also thinks he is funny. That is still debateable. We played The Cradle in Pinehurst, NC where he is a member and had a great time. I loved the clubs, the swing, the unpredictability, the course design, and the beauty of it. When I got home, I begged my parents for lessons. My first instructor told me I was too old for competitive golf, but I could have fun with it. That made me furious. I’m a very competitive person, and the fact that I was a little older than most starting out should not be a deterrent, in fact, it made me even more determined to succeed. Shortly after, my parents set me up to work with a different golf pro. She was fantastic and worked magic on my swing. I joined First Tee and competed in Under Armour tournaments to get the feel of competition. When high school tryouts came up in 9th grade, I made the team! I was the worst, with scores over 100. I made a decision right there that I would work hard and do what was necessary to bring my strokes down at least 10 strokes a year, and when I finished my senior year, I wanted to play D1 golf. I was all in - ready to put in the effort and show everyone that I was not too old, and that age does not determine worth. In addition to school golf, I began playing in tournaments through VSGA, AJGA, and PKB. Because of the time I was spending practicing, my parents got me a membership to the golf course near my high school in addition to First Tee. I spend 20 plus hours a week at the golf course while taking AP, dual enrollment classes, and maintaining a GPA of 3.98.

Golf is a mental as well as physical game, and the skills I have learned through golf have also translated to my academic life where I have become stronger, more determined, and able to face things that may deter me head on. I know that I am a well-rounded individual and will be successful in future endeavors because of what these situations have taught me. Now, as a senior, I consistently shoot in the lower 70’s and won the VHSL Women’s Regionals with a score of 65. I have also participated in Women’s Golf Amateur events. This year, I was recruited to play D1 golf at Le Moyne College in Syracuse, NY.