When Sarah Wicks ‘28, member of the Bates Women’s Golf team first picked up a club at the end of eighth grade, she had no idea how quickly it would reshape her athletic life.
Wicks has led the Bates Women’s golf team as the number one seed and continues to be a key contributor in her second year at Bates. Her late start to the sport and love of the game makes her a notable competitor.
“I started golf during COVID,” she recalls. “My dad just took me to the driving range and I picked it up really fast. I started playing every day.” Within months, while living in Colorado, she made it to the state championship in her very first high school season.
After moving to Florida, Wicks found continued success, making it to states the next three years. It was during her sophomore year that she realized golf had become more than a pastime: “I kind of realized in my sophomore year that I wanted to play in college.”
In an interview with The Student, Wicks spoke to the combination of team sport and individual challenge that golf provides. “It’s really individual, but also, with college, it’s super team-oriented,” she explained. “You want to shoot low for your team too.”
At Bates, she’s honed her game through weekly qualifiers and demanding tournament travel. When asked about her favorite aspect of the game, Wick said, “I kind of like the pressure environment. I think it’s really cool that you get to do that.” Wicks elaborated that golf is a “chill sport” in terms of physical demand, but requires intense focus.
To prepare for tournaments, Wicks likes to listen to music, typically rap. “It helps me stay focused,” she said, admitting that even with her experience she still faces “first tee jitters.”
“You’d think they’d go away, but they never have for me,” she continued.
Wicks has already made her mark with back-to-back year wins at the Husson Invitational. She then went on to lead the team at the Williams Invite, and just last week, Wicks finished in the top 25 of the field at the Polar Bear shootout in Brunswick.
Her competitive mindset is matched by her strategic awareness. “Golf is just a focus-type sport,” she says. “You can’t really do anything but focus.”
Outside of golf, Wicks’ background as a multi-sport athlete has shaped her physical and mental edge. She notes that her gymnastics experience has aided her coordination and strength.
For Wicks, the best part of NESCAC golf is the community and the challenge. “It’s really cool getting to play new golf courses and meet other girls who are at the same level. It’s fun and competitive at the same time.”
From pandemic afternoons at the range with her dad, to collegiate championships across New England, Sarah Wicks continues to lead Bates forward with composure and focus.
