Get to know Carlsbad HS golfer Andee Avery
CARLSBAD, Calif. — With many high school seniors contemplating their future college options, Carlsbad High School senior Andee Avery already knows her college plans after she graduates in June of 2023. The seventeen-year-old will play golf at California State University in Long Beach beginning in the fall. While relieved not to have the same worries as many of her senior peers, she stays focused in the classroom, maintains a 4.0 GPA, and works to perfect her game for college.
Andee started playing golf eight years ago. While Lomas Santa Fe is her home course, she is coached by Aviara golf pro Jason Puterbaugh. Andee put in extra time during the pandemic and turned a negative situation positive. He says, “Her game really took off during Covid. With everything else shut down, it seemed her golf game took off! Covid definitely helped her golf game!”
Parents Clark and Karol are naturally Andee’s biggest supporters. An only child, her dad introduced her to the sport. “We used to go to the range when I was in elementary school and just hit some balls every now and then. My mom plays tennis, and she’s always tried to get me into it, but it never really stuck with me like golf did.” She also tried volleyball, basketball, and track before committing to golf full-time. Andee enjoys tanning at the beach, shopping with friends, and going for late-night drives when not playing golf.
Andee’s accomplishments are many, and it’s an exciting time as she anticipates the college stage with its focus on team finishes and individual ones. 2022 has been an impressive year for Andee, garnering four first-place finishes. She won the Toyota Tour Cup at Mission Hills Gary Player Course, the SDJGA Charley Hoffman at Twin Oaks, the SDJGA Craig Stadler at Pala Mesa, and the SDJGA at Balboa Park. In 2021, she made first-team All-CIF and first-team all-league in New Coastal. She has shot an impressive 69 several times.
Golf is both an individual and team sport in high school and college. She loves how individual the game is, appreciating that “golf is so different in that you can only control what you do.” She does, however, enjoy the team component as well. It has taught her not to be so hard on herself.
Despite all her success, Andee recognizes that there will always be challenges and opportunities. “My biggest challenge is probably my mental game because it’s super easy to get in your own head while playing in a tournament. When I notice that it’s my own thoughts that are impacting me, I try to just slow down and think about my plan in the next few holes that can get me back to where I want.” As for the best advice, she says: “I remember someone saying to name three things that you can either touch, hear, or see to get you back into the present moment when you’re stressed. I feel like this helps me both on and off the course.”
Andee wanted to stay in California for college. “Long Beach has a nice campus, good balance of academics and athletics, and I know a couple girls on the team, so it’s perfect,” she said. We congratulate Andee on taking her game to the next level and wish her continued success this year and in college.
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