Kallie Lux has been one of the Warhawks’ best golfers during her time at UW-Whitewater. She was named to the 2024 All-WIAC Women’s Golf Team after finishing as the WIAC tournament runner-up in the fall. Going into the spring portion of her senior season, she’s aiming even higher.
“Our goal for every spring season is to make it to nationals,” Lux said. “Since we’ve already punched our ticket there due to winning our conference, our goal now is making the cut.”
While the Warhawks have earned the opportunity to compete in the NCAA championship, they are only guaranteed the first two days. After the first 54 holes of the tournament, the field is reduced to the top 15 teams and the top six individual golfers.
Before the Warhawks can start thinking about nationals, they still have the spring portion of the season to play. This part of the year presents unique challenges with unpredictable weather and the long layoff that winter brings. Head coach Andrea Wieland is making sure that her athletes are ready to go.
“In the fall season, you’re able to go all summer. You’re feeling good, and at the top of your game, then you have to take a bit of a break, and you don’t get to actually play on a golf course,” Wieland said. “We try to simulate as much golf as we can by hitting some of our shots inside, as well as working on chipping and putting as much as we can. Our main focus is on mechanics.”
Lux has been utilizing any opportunities she has to practice, whether that be her putting mat at home or using the simulator in the golf room. However, golf is not simply a physical sport; it’s a mental one. Lux and her teammates have also been working on improving the mental aspect of the game over the winter break.
“There’s a lot of things we learn from being in those situations,” Lux said. “Just being able to wipe the slate clean if you have a bad shot or even a bad couple of holes [is important] because golf is 18 holes. It’s like a five-hour [event] every time, so you have to be locked in.”
The Warhawks have a mental performance coach that helps keep their mindset fresh and the athletes ready to go for competitions, especially after a five-month-long winter break.
While Lux has had a lot of individual success, she has emphasized how important the overall team success is and that her teammates are doing equally well.
“Being named to the first team or just the all-women’s team isn’t the focal point of my career,” Lux said. “We always try to win conference as a team, and [golf] is very much a team sport. Whatever accolades I get for myself is just an added bonus.”
Wieland noted how much of an impact Lux has had on her teammates, from continuing the team traditions to being a leader and showing the younger members of the team what it means to be a Warhawk golfer. Going into the spring portion of the season, Wieland hopes Lux continues that leadership on and off the golf course.
“My goal for all of my players is that I can get the best out of them. But for Kallie, being her last spring season, I’d like her to have her best spring average ever,” Wieland said. “I’m really hoping she can lead the team [throughout the spring] and make the cut at nationals.”
The Warhawks golf team is slated to start their spring season March 29 with the UC-Santa Cruz Invite in California. Lux is looking forward to the challenges ahead as she prepares for the last stretch of her Warhawk career.
