A little over two years ago Ashley Olsen made Pitman High history as being the first female graduate to lock a college scholarship in golf. Olsen just added to her Pride golf legacy as being the school’s first professional golfer.
Olsen graduated from Colorado Christian University in May with a degree in communications, and a continuing love for the sport of golf. She has been working at Applewood Golf Course in Golden, Colo. and decided to look into her options now that she no longer competes at the collegiate level.
“I was thinking about continuing my golfing career. I thought I’d take the next couple years to try and go pro. Once I researched into it and realized, I can do it,” Olsen said.
Olsen will travel to Florida in October for LPGA training. There she will receive professional training in fitness, biomechanics and kinetics of the golf swing and equipment fitting. She will also learn the psychological aspects of performance. After completing the first session, Olsen will have to choose whether to take a teaching, coaching or managerial leadership training track.
Being a professional golfer never entered Olsen’s mind when she started as a freshman at Pitman High. In fact, she had never picked up a club until Pride golf coach Ken Stangl noticed her natural athletic ability in P.E. class and asked Olsen to join the team.
“Playing golf in high school, I struggled a little bit; once I got to junior college I started to improve. And then I got a scholarship to play Division II golf and I knew I had some natural talent, so I just stuck with it,” Olsen said about her golf career.
Today, Olsen hopes to play on the LPGA Tour within the next couple of years and eventually manage a golf course one day.
Despite her somewhat late introduction to the sport, she now touts its benefits.
“Golf is definitely fun, but it’s difficult. It’s one of those sports where you hit a great shot and it keeps you going. It’s also one of those sports you can hang out with your friends and have with,” Olsen said.
Whenever she’s home in California, Olsen likes to play a few rounds at local golf courses, but she has found at least one advantage to playing in Colorado.
“The difference is you’re a mile in the air up here so you definitely hit the ball farther than you would in Turlock,” she said laughing.
