In her last season as a member of Delta College women’s golf team, second-year Jacqueline Herring is striving to end her time as a Mustang on the high side.
Herring, who has been with Delta for the past two seasons and played previously for Linden High School, began golfing when she was only seven years old. She was encouraged by her father, an avid golfer, to pick up the sport.
“I became his little golfing buddy,” Herring said.
Herring still finds herself on the golf course with her father often, reminding her of some of her earliest childhood memories.
“My dad and I play all the time together,” she said. “We play almost every weekend together. He is a great mentor and my biggest support.”
She finds that the extra time she spends with him on the course has had an impact on her performance.
This season, Herring said she feels confident in her game and has worked at keeping a consistent score. She does note, however, that “there is always room to improve.”
On Sept. 19, Herring recorded Delta’s low score of 90 as the team finished fifth in a Big Eight Conference match at Whitney Oaks Golf Club in Rocklin, CA.
At another Big Eight Conference match on Oct. 10, Herring was one of three Delta players to score in the 80s. The team finished fourth overall.
“Our team is pretty steady this year,” Herring said. “We are all on the same level and can rely on each other to play well and get the job done.”
Herring said she shares an especially close bond with her teammates, who she views as her “second family.”
“We spend a lot of time together, giving us the chance to bond and really get to know one another,” she said. “We are a small team compared to the other sports on campus, so it’s been pretty easy making connections with everyone.”
Despite her status on the team as a second-year, Herring remains humble and says she doesn’t view herself as a leader.
“I think we are all equal and support each other as best we can,” she said.
A piece of advice Herring would give to younger players is to simply stay in the moment.
“The most important shot in golf is always the next one,” she said. “Golf is a mental game. You can’t control what’s going to happen so don’t worry about the end result. I have to remind myself that all the time.”
After she obtains her associate’s degree, Herring aims to attend a four-year university where she can earn her bachelor’s degree while continuing her golfing career.
As for the immediate future, she has hopes of her team making NorCals and State in 2019.
“It would be the best way to end my last season here at Delta,” Herring said.
Delta recently qualified for the state finals which will take place Nov. 17-18 in Morro Bay.