Read Rhea’s Reflection About the Science of Golf

I’m so grateful to have participated in the first ever Learning Science Through Golf Academy in Far Hills, New Jersey. I was with a group of 23 other high school golfers who are all interested in pursuing a career in STEM. During our time in the USGA Research and Testing facilities, we worked on a group project to see who could design and build the most accurate and precise version of a stimpmeter. Each team was paired up with a USGA engineer so that we could bounce our ideas off and brainstorm. My team was able to utilize our geometry and trigonometry knowledge to find the correct angle that our ramp should have in order for the ball to roll 9 feet each time. To reduce human error, we created a release mechanism for the golf ball so that it started off at the same position every time. Having the opportunity to not only meet and greet with the engineers but work with them for the entire day was incredible. Once the testing process was over, the winning team — whose stimpmeter was the most accurate and precise — used their device on the practice green at the US Women’s Open. While we were there, USGA agronomists spoke to us about how they prepared the course for this year’s championship. Besides learning about the math and engineering behind golf, we were taught a lot about how to care for golf courses and the amount of hard work that is put in to maintain a golf course. At the Rutgers University farm, graduate students part of the agriculture school spoke to us about their projects and their role at the farm. We also learned about various plant diseases, types of grass, and machines used for the maintenance of grass. One of my favorite parts of the academy was the dinner with USGA interns at the US Women’s Open because it helped me open up my career options and explore the vastness of the STEM fields. In addition to the dinner, we were also able to observe a live interview of Brittney Lang in the Media center along with many sports journalists from popular magazines and newspapers. Finally, our evenings at Six Flags and TopGolf were exciting bonding opportunities with participants and staff. This was my first national First Tee academy and I loved being able to meet people from all over the country. …my experience at the Learning Science Through Golf Academy was enlightening, new, and exciting. – Rhea A., Ace Participant