Baldwin School’s Megan Adelman captures PAISAA golf title
Bryn Mawr – When Baldwin School junior Megan Adelman realized she won the PAISAA golf tournament championship May 23, her first thought was that she was the first Baldwin athlete to capture a PAISAA title.
“Being the first person to win the school a PAISAA title is unimaginable to me,” said Adelman. “I have dreamed of this moment for years, not knowing if I would ever actually be able to accomplish it. I am extremely thankful that I have the opportunity to represent this school and give back as much as I can.”
On May 23, Adelman shot a one-over-par 38 at Gulph Mills to claim the PAISAA title. But the road to the title had some major bumps. A three-sport athlete at Baldwin (soccer, basketball, golf), Adelman suffered a concussion playing basketball for Baldwin last December and the recovery process was painful.
“During one of our basketball games, a girl had a breakaway and I ran down in front of her to take a charge,” said Adelman. “When I hit the ground I tried to slide backwards so that I would hit the mat on the wall, but the girl fell on top of me and I hit the back of my head against the gym floor. I got hurt the day winter break started, so I took off from golf for a week and went back to practicing normally. I tried to compete in January, but I was in too much pain to even finish the first round of the tournament.”
Adelman did not play golf again until the middle of March.
“I had physical therapy up to four times a week and modified school days. I lost confidence in my abilities; my motivation to do schoolwork and sports was at an all-time low. My patience was tested more than I would like to admit. I wanted the headaches to go away because I missed playing sports and learning in the classroom. I felt like I was never going to heal. Eventually the pain started to fade and I was able to start practicing and competing again.”
Interestingly, Adelman said her mental game on the golf course has improved since she suffered the concussion.
“I tend to think a lot out on the course – so, when I had a lot of thoughts going through my mind, my head would start hurting,” said Adelman. “To get rid of my headaches out on the course, I just wouldn’t think. I watched birds fly and sang songs to myself so I wouldn’t get bored. The only time I focused on golf was the 40 seconds it takes to hit a shot. When I don’t overthink, I play my best golf. During the Inter-Ac and PAISAA tournaments, I didn’t think except when I needed to.”
On May 11, Adelman won the Inter-Ac girls golf tournament with a 37 for nine holes at French Creek Golf Club. A dozen days later, she won the PAISAA title at Gulph Mills.
“I had played Gulph Mills a few times and I always love the course,” said Adelman. “It’s challenging and requires you to be creative with your shots.”
The final three holes of her PAISAA round were particularly memorable for Adelman. She started by carding an eagle on the 415-yard par 5 seventh hole, the toughest hole on the course.
“This hole is my favorite on the course, so I knew that if there was a moment where I could show what I can do, it was then,” said Adelman.
Adelman pounded a good drive down the middle of the fairway, which left her with a 170-yard shot into the green.
“The way the hole is set up, you have a blind approach shot, so you can’t actually see the green, only the tip of the flag,” said Adelman. “And to make the hole even harder, there is a cliff drop that borders the left side.”
Adelman aimed about 15 yards to the right of the flag and hit a three-quarter punch shot with her 6-iron.
“When I hit my shot, all I was thinking was, ‘Please let it hit the green,’” said Adelman. “Walking up to the green I saw a ball about nine feet from the hole but I had no idea that it was mine. Once I made it up to the green I recognized the markings on the ball as mine and I knew that this putt was going in the hole.”
The 9-foot putt was a little uphill, with a break to the left.
“I was really confident standing over the ball because I knew this was a putt I have made 100 times and I could do it under pressure,” said Adelman.
After sinking the 9-footer for an eagle and a one-stroke lead, Adelman ran into some trouble on No. 8 and needed to sink a tough downhill 6-footer that broke to the right just to salvage a bogey.
“This was the hardest shot I had all day and one that I was extremely nervous to execute,” said Adelman. “If I did not make that putt I would have been losing by one stroke going into the final hole. I knew that for the best chance to win, I had to be all square going into nine.
“On this kind of a putt, a slider, you have to get the exact speed and line otherwise your ball will fly past the hole. I am not the best when it comes to sliders because of how precise you have to be. I get the speed right but never the line because the ball will usually break more than you think it will.”
Adelman sunk that clutch putt to head to No. 9, a par 4, tied for the lead. On the final hole, she hit a great drive down the middle then a 65-wedge shot to within 6 feet of the hole.
“I knew that if I played relaxed the win would come,” said Adelman. “Walking up to the green I saw where my competitor’s ball was and I knew I had the easier putt to make. After she missed her birdie putt, I knew that if I missed my birdie putt I would still be in it. My putt just barely missed the hole and lipped out. It was an easy tap in par.”
For the PAISAA tournament, a scorecard playoff was used, in which whoever scored the lowest on the No. 1 handicap hole (hardest hole on the course) wins.
“What I didn’t know after I finished the round was that the number 1 handicapped hole was No. 7, the hole I eagled,” said Adelman.
Adelman, who hopes to eventually pursue a career as a pilot in the US Navy, said, “I am grateful for the support I have received from the administration, athletic department, faculty, and student body – they helped push me to break barriers, even when I thought I couldn’t. I have been at Baldwin for 13 years, and am the first athlete to bring Baldwin a PAISAA title, but I know I will not be the last. I hope that my win will inspire other Baldwin student-athletes to work hard and never give up on their goals even when they seem impossible.”
