I’ve had my fair share of travel for golf tournaments. I’ve played courses as close as 10 minutes from my house and on courses all the way in Scotland and China. One of my favorite tournaments has been located in a small town called Killington. Killington is located in Vermont, and while it may be a small town, it has one of the best views. While it is known for its skiing resorts, Killington is home to Green Mountain National Golf Club. I competed in one of American Junior Golf Association’s golf tournaments at this location.
The tournament at Killington is known to attract coaches from colleges such as Princeton, Yale, and Brown, which were all schools I was interested at the time. I knew that if I competed well there and made a name for myself, that my chances of getting recruited there would increase.
I played at this tournament the summer between my sophomore year and junior year. This summer is one of the most important summers for all prospective college golfers. I trained all year just so that my game would be ready for a summer of nonstop travel. My mom and I flew into the airport in Boston and began our 3-hour drive to Killington. The luscious trees along the way made me extremely excited for all the East Coast has to offer. At the time, I already knew that I wanted to attend a college on the East Coast. I used the trip to get an idea of what I would be living with for four years of my life.
Driving through each state made me realize how small and close the states were. In California, you have to travel at least 10 hours to reach each end and at least 3 hours from side to side. It’s a pretty stretched out state. On my drive to Vermont, we hit four different states in a little under 3 hours. After a long nap, my mom woke me up by telling me to look outside. There were small wooden buildings everywhere and everything looked so green. I could not see the tips of the trees as they were all so tall. The sky was so blue, but there was no sunshine. Killington made a gloomy day seem so cheerful, and so clear.
Stepping out of the car, I took a deep breath. The air was so crisp and so fresh. I have never breathed in fresher air. We went into the hotel, which seemed more like a lodge. All of the rooms and buildings were made of wood and very cute. Soon after we got settled in, it was time for my practice round at Green Mountain National Golf Club. The course was about 10 minutes from the hotel, which was very convenient.
The name Green Mountain Nation Golf Club was very fitting. The whole course seemed to be on a mountain, and everywhere I looked was green. The course had tall trees, large green bushes, and some of the purest grass I had ever seen. On that particular day, there was a soft drizzle and paired up with the shade provided by the plethora of trees, it was a very cool day. The course was unlike any course I had ever played on before. Each tee was elevated, and there was always some sort of hazard right in front of each tee box. The fairways were all extremely narrow, all lined with deep forests of trees or a water hazard. This course was extremely tough for players who do not hit it straight. The greens were not too tough, except they were pretty big. This made it tough for players who did not hit it close to the pin. I was not feeling too confident in my playing abilities there, which was what hurt me the most that week. Confidence is so important to each golfer, especially on foreign courses. I did not play well the week, which in hindsight was completely okay. I put a lot of pressure on myself that week, and I learned to not do that when it comes down to important tournaments. Some nervousness is crucial to competing, but it messes up my game when I am not also relaxed and composed. I learned a lot from that tournament, and it has definitely made me a better person and golfer.
