For Lauren Saltsman, making a decision late in her high school sports career may have been for the best. After playing softball for much of her youth sports life, she chose to join the North Hardin golf team during her sophomore year and try something that she always wanted to do. “I actually began playing three years ago and my dad got me started because he played. He would go out to play and would always encourage me to come so I picked up a club and here I am. I went out for the team.”
Although the sports are so vastly different, the senior pointed out that playing softball most of her young life may have helped her develop a swing and how to finish and she didn’t find any lack of encouragement or coaching when she made her choice. “I really enjoyed the coaching from the team. We would be out there and someone would say “You just need to stand this way or swing this way.” They were always so helpful.” And also, the fact that unlike most sports that are team oriented, golf is a mental game that requires you to beat the course and your competition.
“It’s really one of the most difficult sports that you can play. One day you can have a great day and the next day you can have a horrible day.” In her first year, her sophomore year, she was one of only two girls on the Lady Trojan golf team (Michaila Barren was the other). During the 2013 season, Saltsman thought her long game came a little easier and since has tried to improve her short game. “Right now, I’m working on my putting and chipping. It’s something that you really have to practice at. You can’t just be out here and practice five minutes on your putting and go home. You have to be here at least thirty minutes and you can’t just knock every ball in, you have to line it up, read the breaks and do everything.”
After shooting 97 last year in the Region Tournament, Saltsman has worked to improve her game and in her final year has been around the mid-80’s, including a second place finish in the Kentucky (15-over-86 in the 16-18 division) PGA Junior Tour Summer Series at Louisville and shot a 42 in the first day of the Hardin County Cup. She has also put some work in her mental game during the offseason. Saltsman admitted that she has read a book “The Mental Game of Golf.” The improvement from that point has been immense.
The last great female golfer that came from North Hardin was legendary current Florida State athlete Lydia Gumm and although she played just before Saltsman joined the team, she has always been aware or her and has offered encouragement. “She’s (Lydia) has been out her a couple times and we’ve talked and she’s always offered encouragement to me. She’s so nice and always offers compliments and when she sees my name in the paper, she’ll say “Good Job!” The senior, who started late in her sport and would like to play in college while studying in the medical field has admitted that a dream golf date would be with Rory McElroy and that the Nike commercial of him that shows his physical progression from childhood to adult was a big inspiration to her and how the scope of life and pass in an instant.
For one Lauren Saltsman, it passes very quickly for someone who found her true calling even if it was just a little late in her high school sports life.
