Practice makes all the difference for Libertyville’s Ou
The practice green suddenly became Camilla Ou’s personal island, a bright sun shining on her shoulders.
Putter in hand, the Libertyville junior, clad in black, including a Rickie Fowler flat brim lid, randomly took aim at mini flag sticks, varying her distances. No other high school golfers joined Ou after they completed their round in Libertyville’s six-team invite at Pine Meadow Golf Club on Thursday.
A half-hour passed. Ou remained in solitude on undulating grass, rolling putt after putt, rarely looking up.#147;When we have our team meeting, I#146;ll have to call her off the practice green,#148; said Libertyville coach Greg Pedersen, sitting in a golf cart, peering at Ou, and not necessarily joking.Earlier, Pedersen had been singing Ou#146;s praises for ... her commitment to golf.#147;I don#146;t know if you#146;ll find a kid out here who#146;s worked harder at her game the last two years,#148; Pedersen said. #147;She just puts in hours and hours of work. She#146;s the poster child for what commitment does for a golf game.
#147;Last year was the first year that she broke 90, and we were all excited about that.#148;
When the Wildcats opened their season Tuesday at Bonnie Dundee Golf Club, they were giddy about Ou (pronounced like the letter #147;O#148;). She fired a 74.
Oh my, Ou.
It was just two years ago that Ou played competitive golf for the first time.
#147;I believe my best score that (freshman) year was a 103,#148; Ou said.
This summer, Ou broke 80 for the first time, carding a 77 in an IJGA tourney. A week before her 74, she shot a 75 in a practice round on the Wildcats#146; home course, Willow Glen Golf Club.
Her season-opening 74 included 1 birdie and one big smile afterward.
#147;I was actually pretty surprised at the end,#148; Ou said. #147;I wasn#146;t thinking about my score much. I felt pretty good, but I know I can do better.#148;
That answer speaks to her drive. She was Libertyville#146;s fifth or sixth player a year ago.
#147;Just lots of practice,#148; Ou said of her drastic improvement. #147;I didn#146;t stop practicing after last season. I went through the winter and then into the summer and just kept practicing. Which is drastically different from the years before, when I just kind of stopped after the (high school) season ended.#148;
Ou credits Jon Reese, a teaching pro who works out of Pine Meadow and whose pupils include defending Class 2A state champ Stephanie Miller of Stevenson.
#147;He#146;s really taught me how to play #8212; not how to swing, which is what all the other coaches I#146;ve had have been teaching me,#148; Ou said. #147;He actually teaches me how to play when I#146;m on the course #8212; what should I do #8212; instead of how should I swing.#148;
Her swinging of the golf club needs little, if any, adjusting.
#147;She has a nice, compact swing and she#146;s able to control the golf ball from her tee game down to her (short) game,#148; Pedersen said. #147;She keeps it really accurate. The most improved part of her game is her short game.#148;
Ou is serious when she says she can play better. She followed up her 74 with a disappointing 88 at Pine Meadow on Thursday.
She blamed her putting. Which probably explains her extended time on the practice green afterward.
Her goal this season?
#147;State, for sure,#148; said Ou, who wasn#146;t stating her individual desire. #147;We want to get our entire team to state.#148;
The Wildcats may have found a leader, who#146;s thrilled she found the sport of golf.
#147;She was at basketball camp as an incoming freshman,#148; Pedersen said. #147;She found her niche, that#146;s for sure. She#146;s a great golfer.#148;
Ou, yes.