Huntington native, MU golfer balances school, sports

As she plays her last season at Marshall University, senior golfer Larie Lynch remembers how she got started in golf and looks forward to her future.

 "I've been playing since I could walk when my dad put a club in my hand," Lynch said. "My brother, Tim Lynch, played at Marshall. My dad plays, and I started going out with them."

She got into competitive golfing when her dad started entering her in small local tournaments in the Tri-State such as the Top-Flite Junior and American Junior Golfers' Association events, she said.

 "I started watching the older girls when I was about 10 and I wanted to be like them, or as good as them," Lynch said. "I've been playing tournaments since I was 10 years old and competitively since I was 11 years old."

Lynch said she decided to come to Marshall because she is from Huntington, and she knew Marshall had a good program and coach. The team practices at her home course, Guyan Country Club, and she didn't want to move away from home at 17 years old.

Lynch is a business major with a minor in marketing.

"I've learned a lot about time management," Lynch said of her experience as a student at Marshall. "Freshman year I was overwhelmed by everything. I learned to stick with something. It's been really hard, but I've got a really great GPA. I study more now than I ever dreamt about in high school. You have to be very disciplined. The Buck Harless tutoring services have really helped."

"You don't get much credit for being a golfer," Lynch said of her experience as an athlete at Marshall. "People think it's really fun, but it's not so fun when you play 36 holes for 10 to 11 hours the first day, and then 18 holes for five and a half hours the next day in 10 degree weather with 32 or 33 degree wind-chill factor. You play in rain, snow and hail the whole round."

"Lynch has been one of the top golfers since she came in as a freshman," said Paige Schneider, International Sports Properties representative. "She is always top two -- usually top finisher for Marshall. She has three top five finishes and six top 10 finishes of all individuals in the tournament."

Lynch said everything about her sophomore year at Marshall was the highlight of her college golf experience.

"I was a medalist in the home tournament, played William and Mary and won in a play-off, which was really exciting," Lynch said.

 "Things went downhill last year when some of the best players quit and the team didn't do so well," she said. "This year it's coming around. I'm looking forward to a good spring because we had a decent fall."

After graduation in May, Lynch said she would take her LSAT, move to Florida and get a summer job before starting law school in Florida.

She said she would like to play in the LPGA, but unfortunately she is not at that talent level.

"Girls going pro are a lot better than me -- they out drive me. Most of them can drive 300 yards," Lynch said. "I probably won't play golf for a while after graduation. I'm thinking about taking up a new sport."

"I want to be successful in everything I do and have fun," Lynch said. "When I'm playing, I always push myself and compete with myself, no one else."

Elizabeth Adams can be contacted at mccoma36@marshall.edu.