Aidan New '24 Recruiting Profile

Golf has been a part of my life since I was six years old.  It started out as a special bond that I shared with my grandparents.  They both enjoyed the game and shared their love of golf with me.  I began in the local first tee program and from there started playing in the PGA Jr League.  When I was 9 years old, my grandmother took me on a life changing trip to Scotland.  We stayed at Saint Andrews where I was able to participate in the Callaway Golf Academy.  That experience, at the home of golf, fueled my passion for the sport.  During my middle school years, I continued learning and improving through private lessons and PGA Jr League involvement.  I was one of only two freshmen that made the competitive varsity team at my high school.  I joined the Virginia State Gold Association and started playing junior tournaments in the offseason.  I also started adding time in the weight room to improve my game and become a more well-rounded athlete.  In my junior year, I was named the captain of the varsity team.  The team finished second overall in the region and my performance in the regional tournament helped secure our spot at States.  I continue to work hard both on the course and off the course to improve my game.  My main goal is to become an athlete at the collegiate level.  I know I am up to the task to do what it takes to perform at the highest level.

The strengths of my golf game include ball striking and accuracy off the tee.  This allows me to put myself in position to hit greens consistently and be able to capitalize and score.  Currently, I am averaging 296 yards off the tee.  I have also spent a lot of time improving my short game.  I am able to read putts and put myself in a position to minimize total puts per round.  I am also very skilled in bunker play and am not discouraged when I find myself in a bunker, because I know I can capitalize and score.  Golf is a year-round passion, and it is not just time spent on the course, it is time spent with strength coaches, my private golf coach as well as hours on the range, putting and finally time spent on course. 

I like to challenge myself in the classroom by taking Advanced Placement and Honors classes.  I was identified as gifted at the elementary school level and have always followed the more advanced track for academics.  My Advanced Placement and Dual enrollment classes have prepared me to be able balance the demands of academics and my sport when I am in a collegiate setting.   Not only do I work hard on the golf course and in the classroom, but I have also held the same part time job for over a year and I volunteer at my local country club to help mentor and coach younger golfers who are new to the sport. 

I want to attend a college that will challenge me in the classroom and allow me to contribute to a competitive golf program.  I believe that challenges both in the classroom and on the course will make me stronger, more resilient and set me up for future success after I graduate college.  I am open to all options; however, I want to find a program that can let me perform at the highest level of competition possible.  Even though golf is an individual sport, I enjoy being part of the team and working together and supporting each other so the team can push the program to succeed.  I hope that I can find a college program where I can grow as an athlete and a student, allow me to succeed and make my family proud.