Girls Golf: Team or Individual Sport?

By Jessica Thompson

For Riley Coe and Kayla Bradley golf isn’t just an individual sport but a chance to work as a team. Coe, team captain, has been a part of Taylorsville High School’s golf team for two years and feels golf has given her a chance to be more supportive of others.

“Being a part of a team is so extremely important,” Coe said. “I firmly believe that it teaches you life skills that you couldn’t learn anywhere else. Being on a team teaches you to be supportive, determined, reliable, outgoing and without a doubt teaches you to get along with people and create friendships that you wouldn’t normally have.”

For other golf player, Bradley, golf is just as much about the individual as it is about the team.

“Golf is really such an individual sport, but I love the aspect that we are all still a team,” Bradley said. “We work individually, but we still have the support of one another and share the same goals. We respect each other’s differences and work together to improve our golf skills as a team.”

The first time Bradley picked up a golf club was on the morning of tryouts for Taylorsville’s girls golf team, but that hasn’t stopped her from being noticed by her coach.

“Kayla Bradley is new this year; she is a very fast learner, delightful to be around, and a natural leader,” Coach Jace Hymas said.  

Bradley has learned so much from her first year of golf.

“I’ve learned you have to take time and practice as much as you can to do well or to improve,” Bradley said. “You have to work for it and not just expect to play well. It takes hard work, practice and dedication. I love the game of golf.”

The highlight of Bradley’s golf season has been making friends with her teammates as well as girls from other schools.

Coe is also grateful for the chance golf has given her to make a lot of new friends.

“I really like when we go to a tournament, you go with a bunch of girls you don’t know and by the end of the day you’re good friends with all of them, its super cool!” Coe said. “The highlight of my season has been being able to be captain to such awesome girls. We all just go out and have fun.”

Her coach, Hymas, is grateful for what a reliable captain she has turned out to be.

“She is very reliable and also a great example and leader,” Hymas said.

Playing golf has taught Coe how to be patient, determined, self-disciplined and independent.  

Hymas has enjoyed his time coaching the girls golf team.

“I love coaching these girls,” Hymas said. “They are so fun to be around, and I enjoy being a part of their high school experience. Golf is one of the things that can make high school fun and these girls take that fact seriously. They know how to have fun.”

No matter the debate between individual or team sport, golf has given these two girls a chance to connect with something bigger than themselves.

“The game of golf makes me happy,” Bradley said. “I like the challenge and the excitement that comes with each tournament and the ability to control how hard, how far and where to hit the ball.”