She takes her last practice swing, letting go of all the tension filling her body. It was her 18th shot, and she needed to hit the ball to the left side so it would be in the fairway. She steps up to the tee and adjusts her body into her familiar position. Smack! Her club collides with the golf ball.

Senior Genesis Torres started her golf journey in middle school after her dad introduced her to the sport. She quickly fell in love with the game and the opportunities the sport provided.

“My dad can be strict with how much time I practice golf, but that is how I improve,” Torres said. “He will always go to the course to practice with me in order to fix what I am doing wrong in my swing.”

“I love the challenge of the game and the opportunity to be outdoors,” Torres said. “Golf has taught me patience and the importance of discipline since golf is an individual sport.”

Torres was the only eligible girl from the Bellaire girls golf team to advance to regionals on April 15 and 16, 2024 at Eagle Point golf course. She attributes her success in advancing to regionals to her continuous hard work throughout the season.

“The support of my friends, teammates, family and even other opponents has all contributed to my success in advancing to regionals,” Torres said. “Golf is also a very individual sport that can challenge me mentally, but that has taught me discipline throughout the years I have played golf. Golf isn’t like soccer where you can depend on another teammate, you have to do it yourself.”

On her last hole of the tournament, Torres was able to chip the ball close to the hole and make her two putts, making a par on goal. Torres scored 90 on the first day of the tournament and 89 on the second day, ranking her 40th place out of 95 opponents. 

“I was very stressed on that last hole, I couldn’t hit it too far or too far on the left side to avoid hitting the ball into the water,” Torres said. “I was so happy that I finally made a par on that difficult hole.”

Despite not advancing past regionals, last season boosted Torres’ confidence and pushed her to improve so she can attend regionals again next season.

“Being the only girl to advance to regionals this year has given me a greater sense of confidence going into next year,” Torres said. “It made me realize that all my hard work truly paid off in the end. I loved the whole experience, but I loved the competitive environment and challenging courses the most.”

Torres’ performance barely fell short of the requirement for moving on to states. “One or two bad holes basically kept her from going to state, but she maintained her decorum,” girl’s golf coach Jorge Aranda said. “I could tell she just enjoyed being out there, and she played well.”

Torres felt more prepared and focused at regionals this season compared to last season, now knowing where to hit and how to improve on her swing.

“I worked very hard to perfect my swing to prepare for regionals, and I’m proud of my performance even if I didn’t advance,” Torres said. “Being the only girl to advance, I hope, inspired my teammates to also work hard to qualify for competitions like districts and regionals.”

When tasked with leading, Torres tries to set a good example and help teammates both on and off the course. If a teammate needs help with putting, for example, Torres is always willing to assist.

”Genesis is always so encouraging,” junior golfer Kennedy Claytor said. “Whether it’s sending messages about practice to the team, spending time at the course outside of school practice or scheduling tee times, you can tell how dedicated she is to the sport. She isn’t embarrassed to express her love for golf, and that’s what I think makes her a great leader.”

When her teammates are down, Torres tries to uplift them. She hopes to inspire others to carry themselves with pride and work hard to improve as a team.

“I have a consistent positive attitude and encourage my teammates during our tournaments when they feel down,” Torres said. “I also try to teach them good sportsmanship and promote a never-give-up attitude, whether they are struggling in their golf performance or in other fields.”

Torres also strives to improve her communication within the team. One of the best parts about playing for the golf team for Torres is the bonds that are made along the way.

Bellaire girls’ golf team had a car wash on April 27 at Bellaire United Methodist Church from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., where they spent time bonding together as a team outside of school. This was their first team bonding event and fundraiser, and each exterior wash was a $10 donation to the golf team.

“I’m really thankful that we had a car wash as our first event because it brought us together and it felt like we were a real team,” Torres said. 

”She is steadfast. She is focused, almost laser focused,” Aranda said. “She doesn’t say a whole lot, but when she does speak, the team listens.