A Season Above Par

By: Allison Skinner (11)

For junior Addison Monnig, the 2026 golf season was a learning experience filled with personal accomplishments, challenges and growth. As a first-year golfer, Monnig entered the season with limited experience but quickly discovered her potential, finishing the season with a personal best and qualifying for districts.

“I actually had a pretty good season, better than I thought,” Monnig said. “This was my first season playing golf, so playing and walking 18 holes was a lot, but I put up good scores for my first time ever playing.”

One of Monnig’s biggest accomplishments came when she reached a goal she had set for herself at the beginning of the season: breaking 100. She surpassed that goal by shooting a 92, her best score of the season.

Despite the challenges of learning a new sport, Monnig continued to improve with every practice and tournament. Having not picked up a golf club since approximately fourth grade, she had to learn not only the skills of the game but also how to play independently while following the rules throughout an entire round.

“Playing my own ball by the rules the whole time was the biggest challenge,” Addison said. “I had never played my own ball for nine holes, let alone 18, and never by the rules. It was hard to memorize the rules and then apply them.”

As she competed in more tournaments, Monnig gained experience and became more consistent. The repetition helped her understand what to expect during competitions and recognize how much she had improved since the first practice.

One of her favorite memories came after the team's first tournament in Camdenton. Following a successful performance in the summer heat, the varsity team celebrated with a stop at Andy’s Frozen Custard.

“It was only the varsity team, and Coach took us to get Andy’s because we did so good and it was so hot,” Monnig said.

As the season progressed, Addison also experienced a different level of competition at districts. Unlike the shotgun starts she was used to at other tournaments, districts assigned golfers individual tee times. The more organized environment made the competition feel more significant and encouraged everyone to give their best effort.

Although Monnig did not advance beyond districts, the experience gave her a better understanding of what to expect in future competitions. With one season of experience behind her, she is already looking toward her senior year with a new goal: qualifying for state.

“I think next year I’ll have the capabilities to,” Monnig said.

However, returning next season will bring new challenges. With four seniors ahead of her this year, Monnig expects to take on a larger leadership role as the team's number one seed. Competing against other top-seeded golfers is something she looks forward to, but it also brings some nerves.

“I get in my head, and I want to get out of my head,” Monnig said.

As Monnig prepares for her final golf season at Helias Catholic, she hopes to build on the progress she made this year, improve her mental game and take the next step toward reaching state. Her first season may have started with little experience, but it ended with a personal record, valuable lessons and a clearer vision for what she hopes to accomplish next.