A quiet crowd watches as the ball pierces through the air and settles on the green right next to the hole, yielding less than a five foot putt. Everyone erupted with applause and encouragement for Marlo Arndts (‘27) the youngest Green Hope State Golf Tournament qualifier this year. As a freshmen, Arndts has had quite the successful year driving, chipping and putting on courses throughout the region.
Arndts sat down with the GH Falcon and answered some questions about her golf journey, and the realities of varsity golf for underclassmen.
What prompted an interest in Golf?
Golf can be quite the difficult sport to start from a young age, due to the lack of leagues and the significant price of equipment. However, Arndts says, “I started playing golf at around seven years old, but I started taking it seriously when I was around ten.” This early start was not the only reason for her major success. She revealed, “We lived so close to a country club it was easy to play and we had good access also my dad really wanted me to play because he played golf in high school so he got me to take it really seriously.”
What was golf before high school like?
Despite the Preston golf course’s close proximity to Green Hope, golf before high school in this area is quite limited for average athletes. “I play on the Peggy Kirk Bell Golf Tour and I’ve done a couple Carolina Golf Association (CGA) events,” she said, both of which being competitive women’s golf tournaments. Before joining Green Hope, Arndts was skeptical about the team aspect, having grown up in an independent golfing environment. She expanded, “I wasn’t just playing for myself I was playing for a whole team so it felt like it would be a lot of pressure, but I learned how to think of it as playing for myself.”
What’s the best part about being on varsity as an underclassmen?
“Family,” Arndts answered. “The best part for me was being a part of a community of athletes that had a common interest and common goal. Helping to build a connection with students and teachers at Green Hope before I started school made it a really nice transition.” As a freshman, she appreciated the many golf events prior to school starting, so she could be part of a community before her first day of high school.
What adversity is commonly faced as an underclassmen on varsity?
Competing as a freshman on varsity is already a big accomplishment, but for Arndts she has her eyes set on the No.1 spot. “My nerves were the biggest adversity since I not only had to perform at games, but I had to compete from the first practice against upperclassmen for a high spot on the team. I definitely had pressure on my back knowing I had to support my team, but I didn’t want that pressure to impact my performance,” she revealed.
What should be anticipated for the next few years in Green Hope women’s golf?
Arndts has high expectations for herself and for our school within the next few years of women’s golf. “I want to qualify for regionals and states every year, which I’ve accomplished this year. For the team, I want to see everyone progress as athletes and I hope we can start winning more matches in future seasons.” Despite her success, the team finished fifth in the conference, so Arndts is hoping to improve on that going forward.
Marlo Arndts continues to thrive on the golf course, feeling confident for her State tournament coming up next week. Her personal record over 9 holes was 36 strokes, which is only one over par, which leads the team as one of the best performances at Green Hope this season, quite the impressive feat for any player, let alone an underclassman.
