NORTON, Massachusetts (August 21, 2024) – On the Tuesday before the inaugural FM Championship, the back of the driving range at TPC Boston became more than just a practice ground—it was an exceptional opportunity to give local golfers of various ages and abilities a chance to interact with one of the game’s youngest stars.
While those gathered could see the world’s elite in the distance, practicing underneath an assemblage of international flags, standing in front of them was 21-year-old phenom Rose Zhang, who greeted and spoke with nearly two dozen locals, mostly Mass Golf members, as part of a special golf clinic sponsored by Delta Air Lines.
Delta Air Lines, the official airline of Mass Golf, launched an LPGA ambassador partnership with Zhang back in 2023 when she turned professional. Zhang, the former Stanford stalwart, burst onto the national scene by winning the 2023 Augusta National Women’s Amateur and becoming the first-ever back-to-back NCAA Champion in women’s golf. She’s also been named to the U.S. Solheim Cup team in her first two years on tour. Delta also announced Tuesday that it provided a flight voucher for each player in the championship field in order to assist with travel expenses for this year’s FM Championship.
The day began with a conversation with Zhang and former USC standout Malia Nam, a rookie on the LPGA Tour, moderated by LPGA Host & Senior Content Creator Hope Barnett. Both women answered questions that ranged from their early days in the sport to the challenges of mental focus, preparation, and the competitive grind of tour golf. While their golf swings captivate audiences everywhere throughout the year, they mentioned the basis of their success is a focus on the fundamentals.
“We’re all playing the same game and trying to figure it out,” Zhang told those gathered. “I think sticking to the basics fundamentals and being good at those is super important, and this starts with set up and grip. It’s easier said than done, but the more simple the golf swing is, the better. For a lot of amateurs, the beginning steps are making sure everything is in line, making contact with the ball and make sure the golf ball is always in play makes the game more fun.”
Zhang and Nam also demonstrated some drills to those in attendance, including the towel drill and a ball on a lanyard drill to keep the forearms in place throughout the swing. Perhaps most intriguing among them was a 20-yard drive drill that turned heads at first, but again focused on the fundamentals of the golf swing. Zhang essentially performed her full golf swing in slow motion, tapping the ball down the range while following through each part of her well-crafted swing.
“It’s so awesome to hear their game is basically the same as ours,” said Maura Foley, a Watertown resident who attended the clinic. “Getting some of those simple tips and tricks from them is great because they play every day, all day, so they know what to do and what not to do.”
The two professionals also emphasized their exercise routines and the importance of core strength in being able to maintain a solid golf swing.
“I learned a lot,” added Barbara Quinn, a Wollaston Golf Club member and lifelong golfer. “They were very engaging with the tips they were sharing for amateurs like us.”
As the Q&A wrapped up, the women moved to the practice tees, energized and inspired. The clinic shifted gears into hands-on instruction, with each participant receiving personalized tips from experienced LPGA teaching professionals Pam Kerrigan-Johnson of Hatherly Country Club, McKenzie Wells of Nashawtuc Country Club, and Lisanne Miller of Cranberry Valley Golf Course.
“I think it was actually great for us as teaching professionals because everything Rose and Malia said was right in line with what we’re trying to teach people,” said Kerrigan-Johnson, who played six years on tour. “Even though people think it’s some fancy stuff, they’re working on the basics that that the amateurs need to work on.”
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Mass Golf is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that is dedicated to advancing golf in Massachusetts by building an engaged and inclusive community around the sport.
With a community made up of over 130,000 golf enthusiasts and over 360 member clubs, Mass Golf is one of the largest state golf associations in the country. Members enjoy the benefits of handicapping, engaging golf content, course rating and scoring services along with the opportunity to compete in an array of events for golfers of all ages and abilities.
At the forefront of junior development, Mass Golf is proud to offer programming to youth in the state through First Tee Massachusetts and subsidized rounds of golf by way of Youth on Course.
