Courtesy of Brian Beard

The start of Emily Renoff’s ’28 collegiate golf career has certainly been up to par—if not better. In just her third tournament of the fall season, she set both the Bowdoin single-round and 36-hole records and became the first Bowdoin student to win the Williams Invitational in program history.

Golf has always been a part of Renoff’s life, with her mom playing at the collegiate level as well. When Renoff started competing at age 11, she watched a movie about the U.S. Kids’ World Championships that inspired her to pursue the sport seriously.

“I told my parents that’s what I wanted to do. The next year, I qualified for the [U.S. Kids’ World Championship] tournament,” Renoff said. “It showed me that anything I put my mind to was possible.”

In her college recruiting process, Renoff was drawn to Bowdoin because of the tight-knit  community. She competed on her high school’s co-ed golf team, but she was the only girl who played consistently and searched for a better community in college.

“I wanted to be on a team with girls who share the same passion as me, and with Bowdoin specifically, the team just looked so welcoming and kind,” Renoff said.

While she has only been on the team for a short time, Renoff already feels a sense of camaraderie and support from both her coaches and teammates.

“[Head Coach Stuart Cady] is just really great,” Renoff said. “He always checks how we’re doing mentally and prioritizes mental state over golf.”

The support from the team also extends past the course.

“[Our coach] also checks in with us on our schoolwork because that can be stressful and overwhelming, too. I feel very able to ask [the team] questions and [express] any concerns that I have. They’ve all been great,” Renoff said.

She specifically highlighted the upperclassmen on the team and the strengths of having a small, seven-person team.

“It’s honestly really nice because you know everyone on an individual level,” Renoff said. “Everyone’s at different stages of their Bowdoin journey. Everyone is so different but so cohesive when need be. Everyone gets along really well.”

According to Renoff, these support systems have translated to her recent successes.

“I was really happy with my performance [at the Williams Invitational],” Renoff said. “I think I was able to really keep my mental game under control and focus on each individual shot compared to the overall collective round of 32 or 36 holes.… My coach checked in on me to make sure I was relaxing when need be and then focusing when I’m actually hitting the ball,” Renoff said.

Renoff also noted the team’s improvement over just this past month.

“I’ve learned a lot about my game and how I want to perform, and I also think the team has learned the same. Each time we’re getting better. Even if the scores aren’t reflecting that yet, it’s right there,” she said.

So far, this season has exceeded Renoff’s expectations, both personally and competitively.

“I didn’t really know what to expect. I’ve never played any of these golf courses before or with these teams. I love meeting all the other girls, their teams and their coaches,” Renoff said.

After taking the winter off, the team will return to season play this spring. While Renoff is sad to see the fall season  close, she is also looking forward to preparing for spring.

“I just want to end on a good note. I’m obviously sad this season’s ending, because I love spending time with my team,” Renoff said. “[But] I’m excited to just start working on my swing again, being able to relax and ease back into school.”

At the same time, Renoff said she is eager to build on her encouraging performances this fall and is setting her sights on the NESCAC championships.

“It’s three days, 54 holes this year, which is fun. I would love to qualify as an individual for the NCAAs, but we’ll see if that happens,” Renoff said. “[Overall], I’m really looking forward to who I’m seeing and where I’m playing.”