My Most Memorable Experience In
Junior Golf
by Emily Gilley
It is difficult to resist the temptation to recount
an individual triumph as my most memorable junior golf experience. It
is the obvious selection, the thing which coaches analyze, and the
brace on which resumes are constructed. However, its tenure of
satisfaction is short lived, much in the same way a chocolate bar
gives a momentary surge of enjoyment and then is soon forgotten.
Instead I choose to remember that instant in which I realized that I
was both extraordinary and ordinary, a moment in which I found myself
linked with those around me by dedication to a common dream.
At the U.S. Girls, on a late July evening, hot, humid air
settled tight in the dark, green Tennessee valley. The mere act of
standing left the players ringing in their own sweat, but the
prospect of a national championship pulled any thought of discomfort
from the mind. Even though the hour was late, the urgency of grinding
out a machine-like stroke kept the players on the practice green
beyond their own exhaustion. A sense of isolation came with the
parade of balls cast from the putter. It was not a frightening
loneliness, but a transcending act which fulfilled a constant
commitment to excellence. As I gathered the balls and dusk settled
around the few remaining qualifiers, I realized that I shared an
undefinable mystic unity with those around me. Our quest was the
same, and we bound together in a sisterhood which envisioned a higher
plane of dedication. This pursuit of perfection, which fuels our
toil, is the force which links our generation with all of the great
players who have come before. I hope to honor them with my
commitment.
Editor's note: The above essay was the winner among the twenty
American Junior Golf Association juniors honored as members of the
Compaq Scholastic All-America Team. Emily Gilley of Flossmoor, IL had
a 5.8/5.0 GPA at Homewood-Flossmoor High School.
