When Eleni Michos starts talking about the challenges she faces on the golf course, the Dexter senior isn’t exactly breaking any news – it’s something every golfer since the High Middle Ages in Scotland has had to deal with at some point along the course. But hearing Michos talk about it does shine the light on just how important staying focused is in this great game of mind, body and soul.
“During my rounds, I always have rough patch of holes where bad shots pile on after another due to my brain being overloaded with what I could’ve done better the previous shot, or why I am not playing to my potential, instead of how I need to hit the next shot to work my way through the hole,” she says, sounding like she has discovered the truth of life. “Once I start focusing on things I can control and having fun, then my numbers start to lower.”
Ah, it sounds so easy 🙂
It’s all part of the mind game of golf. And, remember, Michos is discovering this at the age of 17. Remember the Rod Stewart lyric, “I wish I knew what I know now when I was younger.” Well, she knows this now when she is younger.
“I’ve improved this year mentally significantly as I now understand every stroke matters and you cannot give up,” she says. “With the physical portion of golf, my strength is the distance I can get with my clubs, but I am continuing to work on my ball placement and staying consistent to become the best asset to my team.”
Eleni Michos recently shot a 100 for the Dreadnaughts and was part of Dexter’s scorecard that won the D-2 Regionals at Coldwater. They qualified for the D-2 State Finals Oct. 18-19 at The Meadows at Grand Valley State.
This year has been both successful and rewarding for Michos and the Dreads.
“Although we all have different personalities and lives out of school, we really have bonded and turned into a little golf family,” the senior leader says. “We all can be bubbly and joke around during fun practices and off the course, but when it is time to get the job done, we get the job done.”
They certainly have. The Dreads won the SEC title earlier this year and have one more goal to check off the list.
“As a team, our biggest goal is to take the hours of work we have put into our skills in order to compete and win states this year,” says Michos. “Individually, my main goal was to be a leader and positive teammate for the underclassman and younger captains on the teams. I also wanted to break 90 for 18 holes, which I accomplished this season.”
Michos didn’t exactly start teeing it up competitively at a young age.
“I have been exposed to golf since I can remember as both my parents and brother play,” she says. “I had grown up playing in junior leagues playing 3, 6, and 9 holes at a time, but never played a whole 18 until I got serious with the sport my sophomore year in high school. My brother had strongly urged me to quit volleyball and join the golf team as he wanted to share his love of golf with me. I finally listened to him and it was the best decision I could have made.”
And she credits Dexter Coach Greg Palkowski for improving her game and love for the sport. “Coach P is the most welcoming and positive coach who saw potential in me I didn’t think I had,” she says. “He gave me the opportunity to play on varsity. He is the reason I enjoy golf so much along with the girls as it doesn’t feel like something I am forced into like past sports, but something I look forward to doing every day.”
Michos played volleyball her freshman year at Dexter but switched to golf as a sophomore.
“That year I made the varsity team but my scores weren’t as low as the other girls as I remember being happy if I shot a 50,” she says. “We played decently as a team as we took a few losses but it was nothing compared to how we are doing now. Last year we continued to grow, but this year we truly locked in and went undefeated in the SEC.”
Eleni, 17, is the daughter of Jennifer and George Michos. She shoots a 3.9 GPA in the classroom and is a member of Dexter Christian Athletes and National Honor Society. She also is a four-year varsity softball player for the Dreadnaughts. She also is a lifeguard and works in the food industry and enjoys lifting, running and swimming in her free time.
And for after Dexter HS?
“My goal after Dexter is to study business management in college,” she says. “I am not planning on golfing in college although it still will be a big sport in my life that I want to continue to develop skills in.”
Senior Pictures: Mary Kerkes Photography
Golf Pictures: Ryan Maki
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