A great swing and a positive attitude helped junior Laura Olin
become just the fourth Wolverine in Michigan history to be named
Big Ten Conference Golfer of the Week. Laura placed 11th at the UC
Irvine Anteater Invitational, carding a three-round total of 227,
leading her team to a fourth-place finish out of 13 teams. Olin was
delighted to receive the award, but was more focused on the
implications the honor had for her entire team.
“I was very excited, very honored,” Olin said.
“It was a good representation for Michigan and our golf team.
We’ve been really successful the last three tournaments, so
it’s just an honor that they are honoring the way that
we’ve been playing.”
Coach Kathy Teichert believes Olin has a special personality,
saying that Olin is always optimistic and looks out for her
teammates. These qualities and her abilities on the course make her
the leader Michigan’s young team needs.
“She’s had some great rounds,” Teichert said.
“But I think her personality is what really stands out in my
book, and her character. She’s very positive. She’s
always looking at the light at the end of the tunnel. She’s
always cutting it out, no matter what the situation is.”
Olin’s positive attitude comes in handy at the end of a
grueling tournament. With 36 holes of golf in one day, Olin’s
bound to make a few mistakes, but knowing her team is counting on
her, she finds ways to pull herself together and finish strong.
“Sometimes I lose my concentration and I screw up on a few
holes,” Olin said. “And I’m like, ‘Oh my
God, I have to get this back.’ I just feel that every time I
go out and play, every single stroke I’m taking is affecting
my team, and I have that in my head at all times.”
In the sport of golf, each stroke does count. Olin regularly
leads her team, and has carded the lowest score in seven of eight
tournaments this season (she found herself one stroke behind
freshman Brianna Broderick in the first tournament of the season).
Her consistency earns high praise from Teichert.
“She’s always had a very good golf swing that will
hold up under pressure,” Teichert said. “One of the
best qualities about her game is that we know that we can count on
Laura in every single round. She’s never out of it.
She’s able to stay patient. She’s able to stay focused,
and it’s those qualities that lead her to be a great leader
for us.”
This leader wasn’t born overnight. Olin came to Michigan
as a freshman and learned from experienced players. That year
fielded the best team Michigan has ever had. According to Teichert,
the experiences she gained by winning tournaments that year was
invaluable to Olin.
Olin believes that she has improved greatly in her mental game,
putting and short game since then. And her striking capability has
continued to set her apart from the rest of her competition.