Senior Melanie Wilmert qualified for the State golf tournament on Oct. 10-11 at the Columbia Country Club in Columbia, Mo., thanks in large part to the encouragement of her father.
“My dad has taught me basically everything I know and been to every tournament to support me,” Wilmert said.
Wilmert’s dad, a former golfer for Eastern Illinois University, inspired her to play golf at a young age and taught her how to play. He remains her biggest fan, coming to every tournament and always being ready to give her advice on how to do better.
“He is my hardest critic,” Wilmert said. “He always has comments on my poor shots and tells me every shot I could have improved on. But he also tells me about my best shots of the day and applauds me on my fantastic shots.”
When his daughter made it to State for the first time, Wilmert’s dad was very proud of her and excited for what was to come.
“Right as I was walking off the 18th green, he ran and gave me an enormous hug,” Wilmert said. “It was one of the first times I have seen my dad get emotional because he knows how hard I worked to get where I am, and he put in just as much effort teaching me golf.”
The two-year captain had made it to Sectionals three years in a row, but after two years of just missing the cutoff for State, she finally got over the hump this year and qualified with a score of 87 at the Sectionals tournament on Oct. 3 at Woods Fort in Troy, Mo.
“It was an amazing feeling,” Wilmert said. “I felt super proud of myself knowing that I am capable of doing very well at golf.”
At the State tournament, Wilmert shot a two-day 177 and came in 43rd out of 89 athletes. She had to save herself a few times after hitting into the sand, but she said she was very satisfied with her striking.
Wilmert achieved both her goals during the tournament: shooting in the 80s both days and placing in the top 50.
Wilmert said she is most proud of her growth since freshman year. She cut her nine-hole stroke average from 56 to 44, and she has developed a more powerful swing.
She also frequently watched the PGA tour and got a job at the Missouri Bluffs Golf Course in order to be around golf more and to improve her skills.
“She’s gotten stronger, she’s matured, she’s taken the game more serious which results in better work habits,” head golf coach Todd Pannett said.
Wilmert said she wants to thank Pannett for being there through the highs and lows of her high school career and for always being able to help her refocus after a bad shot.
“The experience was amazing and I am extremely sad that the season is now over,” Wilmert said. “I’m going to miss the team and Coach next year, but I will for sure come back and watch to support the girls.”