Annika Swanson '23 Recruiting Profile

HELLO! My name is Annika (like Hanukkah), and my golf journey started when I was 7.  I would hit my little driver into a baseball field right next to my house- that is when I feel in love with the game. I played everyday  afterschool with my dad in 4th and 5th grade. This was the time I really delved deep into the sport. As I moved onto middle school, I fell out of the groove. I didn't enjoy it as much as I used to because I was doing 'teenage' things. Golf was always in the back of my mind. When I moved onto highschool, I knew I wanted to play golf, but I started to feel a lot of pressure from my dad. It made me resent the sport that I once loved. That was my first heartbreak. I played golf my 8th grade year at #1 seed. Freshman year was a mess due to COVID and we never had a season. Sophmore year is when things changed. First, I felt more like an individual, not just everyone else who fit into the crowd.  That season really changed my mindset for the better. I met great people, practiced, got encouraged, while encouraging others- and this was the first time I could say that golf was MY sport. Not my dad's,  but my own. 

Junoir year, this year, I am hoaning down, and pushing myself to be the best golfer I can be. 

Working on contact with my irons, and putting are my major focuses at the moment. There is always room for improvement, because I am far from perfect. It would be a blessing to bring the skills that I have learned into any setting when I can give, and get advice from my peers and coaches. 

Besides my skillset, I feel my values surrounding golf would be a great addition to any team. I am a very welcoming, friendly, and compassionate person. One thing I wish someone told me growing up is 'one action can make a difference'. I notice how little acts of kindness impact my life, and I would love to be that person for someone else. With all the pressure of golf, sometimes  a bright light is all you need!