Nov. 6, 2008
Go behind the scenes of Illinois women's golf with "Chip Shots", the online golf journal. In the sixth edition of the season, freshman Kaitlyn Wampler talks about her first time in Texas and the team's competition at the Challenge at Wolfdancer.
The Fighting Illini finished their fall season this past weekend with the Challenge at Wolfdancer in Austin, Texas. We had the opportunity to get closer as a team and play a wonderful golf course! The weather wasn't half bad either! There was a large field this weekend, which included 16 competitive teams. Wolfdancer Golf Club was designed by the legendary Arthur Hills and definitely pushed us mentally. This course had extremely tough greens which demanded accurate iron shots and a strong short game. You had to be very patient and have good course management as well to succeed at Wolfdancer. Although we did not finish as well as we had hoped, this was a wonderful learning experience for the entire team that will benefit us in our seasons to come. We all learned some important lessons in the process and look forward to applying them in the spring.
For some of us, including me, this was our first time ever going to Texas, which was very exciting! The minute we stepped off the plane, we met our first cowboy! We were also introduced to a new genre of music: Country. Nancy seemed to fit right in while some of us merely learned to appreciate it for what it was. We also saw an armadillo for the first time! They were all over the golf course, and they definitely were not afraid to get close. Finally, one of the highlights of the trip was making s'mores by the campfire every night. It took some trial and error, but I think it's safe to say we are now marshmallow roasting experts!
As for now, our off season has begun. We have workouts during the week, and I'm sure you will be able to find us at Demerjian working hard to improve! Overall, Wolfdancer was a wonderful experience that will motivate us to continue working hard in the off season. Thanks for following and GO ILLINI!
~Kaitlyn Wampler
