Acing the course
MVP Q&A with golfer Madison LaPaz
Junior Madison ( Madi) Lapaz stands awaiting their turn, Madison scoring a total of 240 points in the WIAC Championships at Reedsburg Country Club, Fall 2021.
October 17, 2021
Junior Madison LaPaz is more than excited to continue her golf career at the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater. She has been a part of the team for all three of her years here at UW-Whitewater and couldn’t have asked for a better team to compete with, as well as further her ownc areer.
LaPaz is one of those athletes fans keep a lookout for on the golf course. She has won numerous awards throughout her time playing at UW-Whitewater. She earned the Women’s Golf Coaches Association All-American Scholar, she was on the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Scholastic Honor Roll, and she was part of the seventh-best 36-hole team score in program history.
Q: How long have you been playing golf? (When did you start)?
A: I picked up a golf club for the first time in my life when I was a freshman in high school. I didn’t really have any interest in golf until maybe sophomore year and that’s when I started to spend more time playing golf. That’s when I started to love it.
Q: When did you realize golf was the sport for you? Any specific moment in your career?
A: At the end of my sophomore year of high school I decided to spend more time with golf and after putting a lot of long days into it I knew golf was meant for me. I’ve definitely improved a lot over the years and I’ve learned golf is not a game of perfection and there’s always room for growth mentally and physically.
Q: Why did you pick UW-Whitewater to pursue your golf career?
A: I chose UW-Whitewater because I knew they had a great program and coach. Andrea, who’s my coach, made the choice pretty easy. The first time I ever talked to Andrea we had a 45 minute phone call and we just really clicked. I also loved the business school here and that was also a big factor in my decision.
Q: Where did you first learn to play golf?
A: When I was a freshman in high school my main sport was soccer and I had played it my whole life. Even though soccer was a spring sport my family wanted me to be in a fall sport too and that’s where golf came in. My dad has always been a huge golf person and he went to the informational meeting and signed me up without even asking me first. Then I ended up being on the high school golf team. It’s crazy to think that that’s how it all started.
Q: What’s it like to play on the UWW golf team? Any favorite memories?
A: Playing on the team isn’t just fun, but it’s what I look forward to in my day. We are all one big happy family and we go through similar struggles and really understand one another – it’s an amazing atmosphere. We all have a special connection that I will never forget. I have so many memories and it’s hard to choose just one. So far my favorite memories have to be the yearly glow golf tournaments that the team does with the local community. It’s such a great team bonding experience and we all have a ton of fun with it.
After everything LaPaz has been through with choosing the right sport for her, golf called her name and she doesn’t regret choosing to pursue golf. She has met some amazing people on the UW-Whitewater golf team who push her to be her best and she wouldn’t trade anything for it. The next time fans will have the chance to watch her play will be during the teams Golfweek Invite on Oct. 17, 18, and 19.
