PAST: Crofton House School
PRESENT: Point Grey Golf and Country Club
FUTURE: NCAA Div. 1 University of Hawaii Rainbow Wahine
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Golf is not a game to muscle through with power alone. Marie Donnici can drive the ball 275 yards but she knows a smarter, smoother touch will do the most to elevate her game.
In the past year, Donnici, 18, was selected for several prestigious golf teams, including the Canadian Junior Golf Association national team for the North America Cup and Aaron Baddeley International Championship, which was held in China.
In her best rounds, she shot a 66 at the par-72 Point Grey course and again at a junior championship in Washington State as a 17-year-old. The Crofton House senior who will compete for the University of Hawaii next season started golfing seriously only three years ago.
鈥淕olf works to my strengths,鈥� said the former softball first baseman and soccer goalie who casually joined her dad at the Musqueam driving range before becoming a member at Point Grey Golf and Country Club in 2008.
Donnici鈥檚 advantage goes beyond physical strength: she has a mental calm that her coach likens to a 鈥淶en-like state.鈥�
鈥淕olf is a very difficult game to master 鈥� not that anyone has mastered golf,鈥� said Taronne Atley, a coach and retired professional player who believes Donnici will be her first student-athlete to qualify for the Ladies Professional Golf Association.
鈥淒istance is a huge factor on making the tour, which she has. Marie drives the ball top 10 per cent in Canada,鈥� said Atley, listing Donnici鈥檚 other qualities: dedication, time-management, fitness, maturity and the ability to judge which aspects of her game need attention. 鈥淪he has put in 18 months work, where a typical kid would have had to play six to eight years to get the same result.鈥�
Lori Castillo, the head coach at the University of Hawaii, was intrigued by Donnici when she observed her on the driving range at a tournament in Southern California. 鈥淭he first thing I thought when I met Marie what that this girl must have strong leadership qualities,鈥� said Castillo, who called the athlete a pioneer because of her self-assured independence.
鈥淭he decisions she made in regards to sport in moving to one to the other and why鈥� and, how she embraced the new sport. This seemed like someone who is not easily swayed and is more of a leader than a follower,鈥� said Castillo, who added that her experience on the LPGA tour enables her to single out future professionals.
鈥淚 saw a strong player, a confident player, a focused player,鈥� said the coach. 鈥淪he is on her way to a complete game. There is so much potential with Marie.鈥�
Her game is not just power, but all-around strength.
