State Golf Feature: Jamieson’s hard work is paying off
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
Being the first at anything is special. Hillsboro High School sophomore Kristin Jamieson is not only the first girls golfer to qualify for the OHSAA State Girls Golf Tournament for Hillsboro at the Division I level, but she’s also the school's first female to qualify for the state golf tournament at any level.
The sophomore did so by dominating most of the competition in front of her all season long and this postseason. At the district tournament last week, Jamieson shot a 75 at the 18-hole event held at The Links in Groveport.
That event saw her not only have the score of 75, but she had the third-lowest score of any golfer in the Division I event. Shooting a 37 on the first nine holes she played, followed with a 38 on the final nine holes, was more than enough to allow the Highland County golfer to qualify to play on the biggest stage in high school girls golf.
“To play the best that I can,” Jamieson said as for what her goals are this weekend at state. “I want to stay in my own game and make sure to focus on my shots and not on what anybody else is doing.
“I just have to worry about how I play first, and if I’m placing well and scoring well compared to everyone else, then that just tops it off.”
[[In-content Ad]]
The humble and well-spoken Jamieson looked back at a season in which any golfer would be more than happy to have the scores she accumulated.
However, Jamieson has high expectations for herself, as she said she was happy with parts of her season, but not all of it. Showing she doesn’t settle for being the best in the league and one of the top golfers in the district, that competitive drive has helped her reach state in just her second year of high school competition.
“At the beginning of the season, I played really well, and then I didn’t play very well during the season,” Jamieson said. “The week after sectionals, actually, everything started clicking. Two days before districts, everything clicked. We were very excited, and I had big things planned for Tuesday [at districts].
“[Coach Hilliard] made our goal that all of us had in mind, which was winning the league, which we did, thanks to [Hilliard’s] amazing coaching. But last year, when I went to districts, which was at the same place it was last year, I missed state by four shots, and it kind of just made a chip on my shoulder.
“Every time I went out and practiced after that, I knew I wanted to go to state. So I told myself I was going to state this year, and that was one of my big goals for this year, a short-term goal. Then I made my long-term goal to win state by the time I graduated, so every time I got in practice, I worked toward the big goals that I have. The longest-term goal I have right now for golf is to go to college for it. I’m working to get a D-I (scholarship), but we’ll see what I can get.”
Achieving this success didn’t happen overnight or even in the past two years as a high school golfer. This journey to state began during middle school for Jamieson.
“I started playing when I was in seventh grade. I decided to take an interest in it in the summer and see how I could progress,” she said. “In eighth grade, I started competing in tournaments in Cincinnati and Columbus, and then I’ve just taken off from there.
“My dad has taught me everything that he knows, and pretty much everything I know is what he’s said. From when I was really little and barely played, he’s been there since day one. I can’t thank him enough for everything he’s done for me.”
The tournament run of Jamieson began a couple weeks ago in the Division I Sectionals at the Westchester Golf Course, where she was ninth with a score of 80.
This season, Jamieson was also a part of the second consecutive South Central Ohio League champion Hillsboro team that went 14-1 in league play and were 18-1 in the regular season. In the SCOL match at Buckeye Hills, Jamieson shot a 36 in nine holes, being the medalist in the event.
Last year, Jamieson realized she was “pretty good” at playing golf at the high school level, and her practice schedule shows not only was she capable of playing on the links at a competitive level, but she was willing to put in the necessary work to become one of the best in the entire state at the sport.
“A lot of my preparation depends on my schedule for the day,” Jamieson said. “I’ll either go to the course – which could be Buckeye Hills, Snow Hill, the Elks – or I’ll go to the range.
“When I go to the course, I’ll play nine or 18, and then I’ll do short game no matter where I’m at because short game is the most important part, and it always will be. So I’ll play nine or 18, and then I’ll hit a bucket if I go to the range and work out some kinks if I have any at the time. I’ll just drop a couple balls if I’m at the course and work on a couple different shots that I might have.”
The tedious preparation to a sport that might be the toughest of all to play shows not only Jamieson’s competitive nature to work to be the best, but with golf or in any sport, it shows great attention to detail.
Remember, Jamieson is still a teenager, but she prepares for the sport like a seasoned veteran. The patience shown by the high school sophomore all paid off when she was able to celebrate with her family once she finished her play at districts.
“The most sentimental time for me was when I finished putting on the ninth green, and my dad gave me this humongous hug and said ‘You did it. You played your hardest. You played as best as you could.’ That one really hit my hard because everything that I’d worked for, it was paying off,” she said. “Every day that I was out in the summer, every day of practicing in the summer … it all paid off.
“We knew that I clinched a spot because I’d been on the range practicing after I’d come in, because I didn’t know if I’d have to go into a playoff … when they said that I was in, then it was just like, I could breathe again. We were all holding our breath, and everybody was really tense.”
Jamieson, showing how modest she is, isn’t treating this as a complete individual honor. She spoke about her teammates’ play this season and how exciting it was to win the team championship for a second straight year too for Hillsboro. She also spoke of what it means to her to represent Hillsboro at the state tournament.
“It’s very exciting, and I’m really honored to be able to represent Hillsboro and be a part of the Hillsboro name,” Jamieson said. “I’m very, very excited to go. I’ve played the course a couple times, and I like the course. I’ll play my practice round on Thursday, and then Friday and Saturday’s the tournament, Oct. 21 and 22. I’m excited, and I’ll be ready by the time it gets here.”
With that, the sophomore wanted to thank her friends, teammates, coaches and family for being a big part of her reaching the final stage of the high school golf season.
“I want to thank my coach Dave Hilliard, my parents, my friends and my family who supports me through everything,” Jamieson said. “My parents (Dr. David Jamieson and Jeanine Bagshaw), they’re fantastic and deal with me when I’m happiest and the maddest after my rounds.
“My swing coach Sharon Sims, she’s fantastic as well. My teammates always encourage me and are there for me all the time. I love playing with them, and I couldn’t imagine a better team to be on.”
Jamieson will play at the Gray Course at The Ohio State University in Columbus this Friday and Saturday.
The sophomore did so by dominating most of the competition in front of her all season long and this postseason. At the district tournament last week, Jamieson shot a 75 at the 18-hole event held at The Links in Groveport.
That event saw her not only have the score of 75, but she had the third-lowest score of any golfer in the Division I event. Shooting a 37 on the first nine holes she played, followed with a 38 on the final nine holes, was more than enough to allow the Highland County golfer to qualify to play on the biggest stage in high school girls golf.
“To play the best that I can,” Jamieson said as for what her goals are this weekend at state. “I want to stay in my own game and make sure to focus on my shots and not on what anybody else is doing.
“I just have to worry about how I play first, and if I’m placing well and scoring well compared to everyone else, then that just tops it off.”
[[In-content Ad]]
The humble and well-spoken Jamieson looked back at a season in which any golfer would be more than happy to have the scores she accumulated.
However, Jamieson has high expectations for herself, as she said she was happy with parts of her season, but not all of it. Showing she doesn’t settle for being the best in the league and one of the top golfers in the district, that competitive drive has helped her reach state in just her second year of high school competition.
“At the beginning of the season, I played really well, and then I didn’t play very well during the season,” Jamieson said. “The week after sectionals, actually, everything started clicking. Two days before districts, everything clicked. We were very excited, and I had big things planned for Tuesday [at districts].
“[Coach Hilliard] made our goal that all of us had in mind, which was winning the league, which we did, thanks to [Hilliard’s] amazing coaching. But last year, when I went to districts, which was at the same place it was last year, I missed state by four shots, and it kind of just made a chip on my shoulder.
“Every time I went out and practiced after that, I knew I wanted to go to state. So I told myself I was going to state this year, and that was one of my big goals for this year, a short-term goal. Then I made my long-term goal to win state by the time I graduated, so every time I got in practice, I worked toward the big goals that I have. The longest-term goal I have right now for golf is to go to college for it. I’m working to get a D-I (scholarship), but we’ll see what I can get.”
Achieving this success didn’t happen overnight or even in the past two years as a high school golfer. This journey to state began during middle school for Jamieson.
“I started playing when I was in seventh grade. I decided to take an interest in it in the summer and see how I could progress,” she said. “In eighth grade, I started competing in tournaments in Cincinnati and Columbus, and then I’ve just taken off from there.
“My dad has taught me everything that he knows, and pretty much everything I know is what he’s said. From when I was really little and barely played, he’s been there since day one. I can’t thank him enough for everything he’s done for me.”
The tournament run of Jamieson began a couple weeks ago in the Division I Sectionals at the Westchester Golf Course, where she was ninth with a score of 80.
This season, Jamieson was also a part of the second consecutive South Central Ohio League champion Hillsboro team that went 14-1 in league play and were 18-1 in the regular season. In the SCOL match at Buckeye Hills, Jamieson shot a 36 in nine holes, being the medalist in the event.
Last year, Jamieson realized she was “pretty good” at playing golf at the high school level, and her practice schedule shows not only was she capable of playing on the links at a competitive level, but she was willing to put in the necessary work to become one of the best in the entire state at the sport.
“A lot of my preparation depends on my schedule for the day,” Jamieson said. “I’ll either go to the course – which could be Buckeye Hills, Snow Hill, the Elks – or I’ll go to the range.
“When I go to the course, I’ll play nine or 18, and then I’ll do short game no matter where I’m at because short game is the most important part, and it always will be. So I’ll play nine or 18, and then I’ll hit a bucket if I go to the range and work out some kinks if I have any at the time. I’ll just drop a couple balls if I’m at the course and work on a couple different shots that I might have.”
The tedious preparation to a sport that might be the toughest of all to play shows not only Jamieson’s competitive nature to work to be the best, but with golf or in any sport, it shows great attention to detail.
Remember, Jamieson is still a teenager, but she prepares for the sport like a seasoned veteran. The patience shown by the high school sophomore all paid off when she was able to celebrate with her family once she finished her play at districts.
“The most sentimental time for me was when I finished putting on the ninth green, and my dad gave me this humongous hug and said ‘You did it. You played your hardest. You played as best as you could.’ That one really hit my hard because everything that I’d worked for, it was paying off,” she said. “Every day that I was out in the summer, every day of practicing in the summer … it all paid off.
“We knew that I clinched a spot because I’d been on the range practicing after I’d come in, because I didn’t know if I’d have to go into a playoff … when they said that I was in, then it was just like, I could breathe again. We were all holding our breath, and everybody was really tense.”
Jamieson, showing how modest she is, isn’t treating this as a complete individual honor. She spoke about her teammates’ play this season and how exciting it was to win the team championship for a second straight year too for Hillsboro. She also spoke of what it means to her to represent Hillsboro at the state tournament.
“It’s very exciting, and I’m really honored to be able to represent Hillsboro and be a part of the Hillsboro name,” Jamieson said. “I’m very, very excited to go. I’ve played the course a couple times, and I like the course. I’ll play my practice round on Thursday, and then Friday and Saturday’s the tournament, Oct. 21 and 22. I’m excited, and I’ll be ready by the time it gets here.”
With that, the sophomore wanted to thank her friends, teammates, coaches and family for being a big part of her reaching the final stage of the high school golf season.
“I want to thank my coach Dave Hilliard, my parents, my friends and my family who supports me through everything,” Jamieson said. “My parents (Dr. David Jamieson and Jeanine Bagshaw), they’re fantastic and deal with me when I’m happiest and the maddest after my rounds.
“My swing coach Sharon Sims, she’s fantastic as well. My teammates always encourage me and are there for me all the time. I love playing with them, and I couldn’t imagine a better team to be on.”
Jamieson will play at the Gray Course at The Ohio State University in Columbus this Friday and Saturday.