At times, golfers like to change their swing to liven up their game. 2006 Clarkston High School graduate Jackie Schram is getting her fresh start by transferring to NCAA Division II Grand Canyon University in Phoenix.
Schram, a four-year player at Clarkston, played for Lindenwood University (Missouri) of the NAIA last season. As a freshman Schram finished in the top-10 in seven tournaments.
Playing in the warmer climate leaves her the option of practicing and playing year-round, not an option at Lindenwood.
Schram lead the Wolves to appearances at the Michigan High School Athletic Association state finals in 2004 (11th place) and 2006 (eighth place). 2004 was the Wolves? first time at the finals in 27 years. During the 2006 run, Schram earned an All-State designation for her 10th place (154) performance in the finals.
Presently, Schram has a full golf card. She played in the 91st Women’s Michigan Amateur event at Egypt Valley Country Club in Ada, Mich. last week. She also played in the 14th Michigan PGA Women’s Open Championship at Crystal Mountain Resort in Thompsonville, Mich. earlier this week.
For the past two years, Schram has been working on her game with Golf Professional John Lindert at the Country Club of Lansing.
‘He helps me with my fundamentals and mentally he helps me and makes me look at the whole picture instead of little parts of it,? she said.
Lindert is helping Jackie work on fine-tuning her swing and increasing her efficiency as she strikes the ball. Course management is a big part of their work together too.
‘As she understands the game more and more, she can manage her game from course to course,? Lindert said.
‘It’s more about harnessing her power. Now she’s learning to manage her game.
Schram also seeks the advice of her former coach, Clarkston girls golf coach Larry Sherrill.
‘He’s a great coach and he helped me go a long way. I’m still close with him today. I still call him and tell him about my tournaments and he can help me with my mental game.?
?(Jackie) has a lot of people in her life that can help her and she really utilizes that,? Sherrill said.
Sherrill remembers Schram’s determination and motivation with the Wolves as a precursor to her collegiate success. Playing for GCU will be another challenge, something Schram likes, Sherrill said.
‘She always wants to be challenged. She feels better about improving her game at Grand Canyon.
‘It’s going to be a good move for her.?
Avoiding a post-high-school slump, Schram feels her game has improved since graduating from Clarkston.
‘My mindset on playing in college is stronger than it was in high school. I’ve learned a lot more playing over the summers and going to college, there is a bigger atmosphere where more people are into (playing golf),? Schram said.
Discovering her abilities on the golf course was a stroke of luck for Schram, who had begun playing with her father, who noticed she had excellent hand-eye coordination. That left Jackie with a big choice to make as a freshman, whether to play her first love, soccer, or her new passion, golf.
‘It was a big decision for me to (make) because soccer and golf were in the same season,? Schram said.
‘I chose to play golf because I thought I could go further with it and as of now I am by playing in college.?
Playing professionally is a goal of Schram’s for the future.
‘If the opportunity for that came, that would be great and a lot of fun. It’s a lot of work and a lot of time until that point, but it’s a goal to reach for sure,? she said.