Clay County Lady Bulldogs Golf Head Coach Andrew Meadows knows firsthand how difficult the game can be.
Before leading the Lady Bulldogs this season, Meadows had to learn the sport the hard way. Meadows did not pick up a golf club until high school and the results were not promising. Meadows said there were times he could barely finish a hole. But thanks to the guidance of Betty Jo White, Meadows turned his frustration into learning fundamentals.
“She really helped me understand how to make contact, how to become more consistent, and pretty much all aspects of my game,” Meadows said. “She really helped encourage me and helped me believe in myself as much as anything.
White became a lasting influence for Meadows. He joined the Clay County golfing staff as an assistant coach in 2021. Meadows said during that time, White shaped him into learning the approaches for playing and coaching golf.
“[She] really understood golf is a mental game,” Meadows said. “Sometimes you’re gonna have your best days and it’s important to celebrate that. Sometimes when you’re not having your best days, just keep things in perspective and keep your head up and make sure you don’t let it drag you down too much.”
Now having concluded his first season as head coach, Meadows said he has tried to pass the same mindset down to his players.
“Golf is not like football where you got a kid that weighs 100 pounds soaking wet going up against a kid that’s 250 pounds and ripped,” Meadows said. “Any kid, any size, can be good at the game as long as they have the right routine, the right work ethic with their practice and discipline and really understand the mental aspect of it.”
The Lady Bulldogs wrapped up their season with a trip to the region tournament, where their run ended in the first round.
