What started as a fun father-daughter activity in the backyard has turned into a rewarding pursuit for Kirkwood High School senior Elise McDonough. Her dad always enjoyed playing golf and bought his daughter her first set of clubs. He was impressed by her swing and signed McDonough up for a CYC league in the fifth grade. She has been working to improve her game ever since.
“That’s my favorite thing about the sport,” she says. “There is always something you can improve on every time you play. Chipping and putting always get me, so I continuously want to practice and get better. The good rounds make you want to keep going, and the bad rounds make you want to do better.” The 17-year-old says she often can be found at the driving range practicing her swing, and agrees that golf is something you have to play constantly to remain consistent. “Before the season started, the team practiced every day,” she says. “And then we always practiced on the days we didn’t have tournaments or after-school matches.”
The hard work paid off. The team placed second in the State tournament, held at Twin Hills Country Club in Joplin. “There were five of us who made the team, and the final rankings were based on the four top scores,” she explains. This was the third year in a row McDonough qualified for State. One of her favorite accomplishments this year was winning her first high school tournament, the Lindbergh Invitational. “Our team won as well, so that made it extra special,” she says.
Even though the fall high school season is finished, McDonough will continue her trips to the greens to keep her swing in check, she says. She also participates in the spring season and plays weekly summer tournaments, which are mostly local. “I love all the courses in St. Louis, but my favorite one is in Cape Girardeau, the Dalhousie Golf Club. It’s one of the prettiest courses I’ve played, but it’s also challenging. The rough is really thick.” McDonough says she currently is talking to some college coaches and hopes to continue her success on the fairways after graduation.