City College freshman Annie Betts has emerged as a star on the women’s golf team, finishing in the top two at every tournament this golf season.
Bett’s golf journey began in seventh grade when she was just 12 years old. She was introduced to the sport through her dad and brother, both golf players. They were an inspiration for her, but she did not just want to follow in their footsteps; she wanted to become better than them.
When she entered high school, Betts was still a beginner, but she quickly realized how much she loved golf.
“I love that golf is such an individual sport,” she said. “It’s all about what you can do and how you can push yourself.”
Even though she was still new to the sport, she found success while playing in her freshman, junior, and senior years of high school.
“I was competitive but still very much a beginner,” Betts said. “It was a time of growing, making mistakes, and learning.”
Betts, originally from Michigan, decided to come to City College because of the academics, athletics, and the weather. She always wanted to move somewhere with a warmer climate.
“The weather here is gorgeous, and I love the campus,” she said. “It’s the perfect fit for me.”
Being on the golf team means a lot to her. It’s not just her successes and the wins that she cherishes but the bond she has built with the four other girls in the club.
She has built a family away from home within the golf team, and they push her to be better as an athlete every day.
“[Annie’s] positive energy has an amazing impact not only on the team and the course but also off the course,” Mylie Pavelis, one of Betts’s teammates said. “She is an inspiration for other women in golf to be able to play at a skilled level while having a steady mental game and, most importantly, having fun”
Besides her golfing community, she has a huge support system through her family back home. They often travel to watch her compete and support her.
Betts had a great start to her first season in college. She’s finished in the top two in every tournament, which is an extraordinary achievement for a freshman. Besides that, she recently won the 3C2A SoCal Regional Championship as an individual.
Although she had a lot accomplished, Betts also faced some struggles.
“I’ve learned to embrace the mistakes,” Betts says. “Golf is all about mental toughness. It’s okay to make mistakes during a round, what matters is how you recover,” she adds.
She explains how she handles situations of pressure during tournaments. At a recent tournament, she was neck-and-neck with another player for first place. That’s when she noticed her heart rate going up and her hands getting shaky. In those situations, she just tells herself she can get through it.
Betts goes to the golf course daily even though her schedule is packed. Her team practices are from Tuesday to Thursday. Additionally, she has tournaments, and school, and has to go to the achievement zone three hours a week.
But this is just the start of her college golf career and Annie has big dreams and goals for the future.
“I want to transfer to a Division 1 or Division 2 school where I can compete at a higher level,” Betts said. “There are so many resources at those schools that I can take advantage of. I want to keep pushing myself to be the best.”
After college golf, she wants to further pursue her career on a professional level.
“It’s every athlete’s dream to go pro,” she says. “Right now, I’m just grinding every day, working to get better, and doing what it takes to make that dream a reality.”
Golf has taught Betts many lessons on- and off- the course. She shares one of the most important life lessons golf has taught her.
“When times are tough, you push through because you know tomorrow will be better,” she says. “You can’t control the future, so you just have to take it shot by shot and trust yourself.”
Even though it can be hard sometimes, she wants to encourage others to not let hard moments stop them because it’s all worth it in the end.
Betts’s passion for the sport is not to be overlooked, and it’s clear that she’s just getting started. She has big dreams and is not afraid to overcome challenges on her way there.
