Barrington's Sulkar continues her ascent

Finishing in the top 10 as a sophomore in the 2014 girls golf state finals was quite an impressive accomplishment by Barrington's Reena Sulkar.

But with her dedication and passion for the game, she feels there's plenty more left to do.

And the Fillies' sharpshooter wasted little time making that be known.

On the first day of this fall's season, she came out and fired a school-record 66, breaking her own record of 68 set on the first day of the 2014 season on the same Bonnie-Dundee Golf Course in Carpentersville.

Sulkar's amazing round, which included four straight birdies on holes 12 through 15 and five total, was just an extension of all the momentum she gained from winning five MAJGT tourneys this summer.

The big win was at the Golfweek Midwest Junior Invitational held at Cog Hill (Dubsdread). Cog Hill played a major role in Sulkar's career path.

"So that made it very cool to win at Dubsdread this summer," said Sulkar, who was eighth in last year's Class AA state finals. "I was inspired at a young age by the pros at the BMW Championship held at Dubsdread. Kevin Weeks, the director of the Cog Hill Golf Academy, has been my coach for more than six years. He has really helped me get my game dialed in."

A few years ago Weeks told Sulkar that perfecting her driver and iron game would only get her so far.

"He said the difference between good golfers and great golfers are the ones who perfect their short game," Sulkar said. "That is why I have been focused on my short game for the last two years and it has definitely improved my game significantly."

The roots of Sulkar's game were planted at about the age of 7.

"As I remember, I went to the driving range with my father and asked him for some clubs so that I could hit some balls, too," she said. "I think he wanted some company when he was practicing, so he purchased me a set of clubs that same week."

While hitting balls with her father on the range, Reena spotted a sign. It was the Golf Channel-sponsored 'Drive, Chip and Putt' competition.

Since the basic golf swing was coming naturally for their daughter, Sulkar's parents thought that it was a good idea to sign their daughter up for the contest.

She ended up winning it, and her interest peaked even more for the sport.

Sulkar even began watching the game at the pro level.

"I remember watching Paula Creamer," she said. "I loved her play because of her enthusiasm and positive attitude. She was my first role model in the game. I loved watching LPGA tournaments and was continuously amazed at the tour players' composure on the golf course and how they were able to get themselves out of difficult situations."

She still doesn't miss watching many tournaments.

"Even today, I love watching the pros and how they are able to make the 30-foot plus putts look easy and those incredible chips from greenside sand bunkers," Sulkar said.

And Sulkar knows how to make those shots, too.

"Reena put a lot of effort into working on tightening up her short game and getting additional distance off the tee," said Barrington Hall of Fame coach Jodi Schoeck. "Her short game is so controlled and accurate, and all the time she spent working with her putter has already paid off. The added distance off the tee will make those shots into the green more manageable."

Sulkar also puts the time into the classroom, sporting a GPA of 4.65 weighted and 4.0 unweighed on a four-point scale.

She has an interest in science and math and plans to volunteer at a hospital this coming winter.

"Reena is a determined young woman with a strong work ethic," Schoeck said. "She excels in the classroom and on the golf course. Reena understands her game plans going into each event, and she prepares like no other. She has big goals for herself and for the Barrington Fillies. She is a team captain."

Sulkar takes her captain role seriously.

"What I like best about high school golf is the teaming aspect," she said. "During the summer, I play as an individual, but I love the fact that high school golf adds the team aspect to the game. I really enjoy contributing to the team effort and cheering on my teammates. As one of the co-captains this year, I am looking forward to supporting my team this coming season.

"My high school coach (Schoeck) has also been a great coach and has helped me to never lose focus during high school events. My parents have also been an important part of my success. They are always there for me and never miss a major tournament or practice round."

Sulkar has been practicing countless hours for her junior prep season,

"Coming in top 10 in state last year was great, however, I was disappointed with my own personal performance," she said. "I know that I could have played better. I typically do not look at the winning score when I play. I set goals for myself and try to achieve those goals at each tournament."

Her goal this fall is no different from this past summer.

"My goal is to focus on my own game and on one hole at a time," she said. "I've realized that not giving up until the last putt on the 18th hole is very important because in this game, anything can happen."

Her favorite part of the game is around the greens.

"There is still so much for me to learn, and it is from the improvement of my short game that I have seen the most dramatic improvement in my overall game," Sulkar said. "My favorite club to use is my 60-inch lob wedge because it enables me to hit a variety of different shots and has proved to be very useful around the greens."

Sulkar had a useful summer with first-place finishes in all five Mid-American Junior Golf Tour events she played, not to mention the first place finish at Dubsdread. She also recently finished seventh in an AJGA event in Bloomfield Hills, Mich.

"Coming off a wonderful sophomore season and leading the team to first place in the regional and earning eighth place in the IHSA individual tournament, Reena committed to transforming her game for her junior season," Schoeck said. "She put a lot of effort into working on tightening up her short game and getting additional distance off the tee. Reena has big goals for herself and for the Barrington Fillies."

"She is a team player who supports her team and has fun with the team. She is a pleasure to coach and is the kind of person, student and athlete every coach hopes to work with. She is ready for another fabulous golf season. I can't wait to see what the future holds for Reena, but I also want to enjoy her last two seasons as a Barrington golfer."