Chipping and Putting with Laura Olin
5/18/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Golf
After her final hole, she hugged her dad and her mom. She didn't really think that it was the end of her career. She always thought that playing for the University of Michigan would last forever. But soon, Laura Olin realized that it was time for the next stage in her life. She was no longer a collegiate golfer. She was now going to be an alumni member of the Wolverine women's golf program. A program she helped elevated to national prominence during her four years.
Arguably one of the best golfers in U-M women's golf history, Olin closed out her stellar career playing in a U-M record 50 straight tournaments. In her four seasons she did not miss a single scheduled tournament. She closed out posting a career averaged of 76.69 per round, which is also the U-M career record. In addition she set the lowest single-round average for a freshman at U-M with a 76.94 mark in the 2001-02 season.
In 50 career tournaments, she was the top finishing Wolverine in 25 events. In her four seasons, she had three tournament victories and helped Michigan to 12 of U-M's 26 total team titles. She also helped Michigan to three NCAA regional appearances as well as the program's first trip to the NCAA Championships in 2002. The three-time captain is a two-time All-Big Ten selection and a four-time Big Ten Golfer of the Week.
With postseason banquets and awards pouring in for her efforts on the course, Olin sat down to reflect on what she feels she accomplished in her career.
On having completed her college career
"It really hasn't hit me yet that it is over. I think it will really hit me in the fall; just knowing I won't be getting ready for the start of the season. But this summer I am still going to do some amateur tournaments just like any other summer. I was just thinking about a few days ago. It is hard to believe that four years have gone by this fast. It's been great playing golf for Michigan and building the program up. I remember when I was on my recruiting visit and coach (Teichert) was looking at me and saying, 'do you want to go to a program that is already built up or do you want to go to a program that you can build' I thought, yeah, I want to build on a program. I just hope this team will continue to build and to grow. I have tried to play the best that I can and be the best leader that I can. I hope I have instilled some good things in the girls. The tradition will certainly carry on and the program is only going up. I am the only senior that they are losing, so they should be able to do just as well next year."
On if she has a favorite moment or memory
"There are a lot of moments. I don't think I could really get into them all, but there are two that pop into my head right away. This year having Big Tens on our home course, even though we didn't come away with the win, was a big moment. Just having it there and having so many family members there was truly special. It was kind of a closure for me. Then during my freshman year when we won the Indiana Invitational, that is one of my fondest memories. Everyone was running around screaming after we came back from seven strokes behind Wisconsin to win."
On if she enjoyed playing with any one person
"I really enjoyed playing with everyone on the team. It is always fun to play with your teammates. You know, driving up to the range the other day, I thought, I am really going to miss this. I am going to miss getting to play with someone all the time. When I go home, there are not as many females who are good at golf and that I can play with all the time. But when I am here, I can call any of my teammates and play with them any day. Amy (Schmucker) and I have a really close relationship. We play all the time in the summer. We try and will try to play as much as we can together. She is a really special person to me. I really don't think I can come up with just one player I enjoyed playing with. I have played with so many of the top girls from around the country that it would be hard to pick one. It is just such an honor to travel and get to meet and play with some of the best women's collegiate golfers in the country.
On playing in the Big Ten
"I will say, I am going to really miss playing in the Big Ten. Golf is a unique sport where we are able to play so many tournaments together and really develop a relationship with them. You're not across a net from them in tennis, or playing them in hockey. You are able to walk down the fairway and ask them, 'What is your major Who is watching you' You really get to know who you are playing with and that is something that is special about our sport."
On the Big Ten Conference gaining more national respect
"The Big Ten has really picked up and is starting to draw more and more attention from around the country. A lot of schools are going international with their recruiting, so a lot of the really good Midwest girls are staying in the Midwest to play golf. That in itself has helped our conference improve. It has also helped that some of the southern players are even coming to the Midwest to play after schools in their schools are recruiting international players. Overall, Ohio State has developed into a dynasty after winning the last four Big Ten Championships, where it used to be Indiana back in the early 90s. So there are a lot of developing teams in the conference but that is only a great thing for us. We get to compete against these schools all the time. That can only help make you better."
On how you recruit a golfer to the University of Michigan
"If someone wants to work on their game outside all year round, Michigan is not the place for them. You have to be straight forward with them and let them know that from November to February you are indoors. But at the same time, during those times that is a little lighter practice. We work out and don't necessarily swing a golf club. There are options to do that, but for the most part it is other activities. That is one of the reasons I came to Michigan. I like that break. It is good to take a step back every once in a while and get recharged. Recruiting to Michigan should not really be that tough. It is the best place in the world for academics and athletics in combination. I can't see why anyone would not want to come here with those factors."
On whether or not she feels she left a mark on the Michigan program
"I can only hope that I have left a mark on this program. I can't say whether I have really or not. I tried to bring team unity, like we play for 'the University of Michigan,' not just ourselves. I tried to help us remember that we are as good as anyone in the country and can play with any team out there, but we have to do it as a team. I wanted everyone to enjoy playing and enjoy playing for Michigan. If that is my mark, then I can be happy with that."
On U-M coach Kathy Teichert
"There is no other coach I would have rather played for. She really understood how to coach us and she means the world to me. She can be a calming effect for you and really pep you up when you need it. Looking back over the four years, there were times when I wasn't quite sure what she was saying, but when I think about it now, it all makes sense. She really let us be us. She really let us develop into who we are. She never really wanted to change us into something we were not. When we made a mistake out on the course, she would talk to you and just be so positive. It never really bothered her. She just wants us to do the best that we can. It really helped when I think about it now. I just know that she was the perfect coach for me."
On her future plans
"I am not really interested in playing at this time. I am not totally ruling it out. Right now, I have one more semester of school remaining and I would like to just get a job and stay in the golfing industry somewhere. I would like to start a company that takes golf equipment from manufacturers and distributes them all across the country. I don't really exactly what I am going to do, but something in that area is what I would like to pursue. As far as going pro in golf, I don't think I will be doing that."
Players Mentioned
