Anyone who has ever picked up a golf club will tell you that the mental side of the game is more challenging than hitting the perfect drive or making that birdie putt – because how you deal with missing that birdie putt will have more impact on your scorecard than just the one stroke.
Dexter junior Millie Truesdell learned this lesson the hard way – like every golfer does.
“This has always been a struggle for me,” says Truesdell, of dealing with emotions and keeping focus on the next shot and not dwelling on the last one. “My freshman year was especially bad. There were a lot of tears. But I have learned to stay patient and take it one shot at a time. I am allowed to get frustrated with myself if I hit a bad shot, but I still need to turn it around and hit the next shot with confidence.”
Now that’s a winning approach. And winning is something Truesdell and the Dexter golf team does quite often these days. The Dreadnaughts recently finished first at the D-2 Regional in Coldwater to qualify for a return trip the State Finals. Truesdell fired an 86 to finish eighth overall in the competitive field.
Winning brings big goals and Dexter is aiming at the biggest goal of all.
“As for the team, I think we can come close to or win the state title,” says Truesdell. “We have a really good team and some very good players and if we play our game then we can have another trophy in our hands.”
They already have captured the league and Regional trophies. Truesdell says the young Dreadnaughts are very close with a “team culture and personality that is unmatched.”
“We spend so much time together either if we are on the road to our next tournament, or just playing rounds together, we are always with each other in the season,” she says. “Our team is so supportive of each other, and we all understand our goals and help each other achieve them. And Coach P (Greg Palkowski) brings this team together. He puts up with all of our energy and is there whenever we need it. He does so much for us and we wouldn’t be where we are without him.”
Truesdell first teed up the great game of golf when she could barely hold a club.
“My dad put me in golf when I was really little,” she said. “I didn’t really have a choice but I enjoyed playing. My dad would teach me and I would play Junior golf with my friends at my golf club. I liked making friends through golf, and improving my game.”
The Truesdell family are members of Barton Hills and Millie spends a lot of time on the challenging course and on the practice range.
“I have had multiple golf coaches over the years, including Jordan Young at Fox Hills and also Paul Hausse at Miles of Golf,” she says. “These coaches have helped improve my swing drastically. Especially Jordan, I first went to him when I was starting to get more serious about golf and he helped me a lot with technique and small mechanics. Paul has also helped my swing a lot.”
That improved swing landed her a spot on the Dexter varsity team as a freshman.
“I didn’t think I would make it and I was really nervous about tryouts but I ended up doing really well,” she said. “At this time I was starting to take golf seriously, but my scores weren’t as good as they are now.”
Her sophomore year, Truesdell broke 90 – and then 80.
“This year I have improved somewhat but not as much as how I improved from freshman to sophomore year,” she said. “This is my first year being a captain as well. This year I was trying to focus a lot on my mentality because I think that is the biggest wall in between me and being a lot better at the sport.”
Last year, Dexter finished seventh in the state at the D-2 State Finals, were co-champions of the SEC and finished 12-1 on the season. Not a bad round of golf for a young team and it’s been quite the encore this year for the Dreads and Truesdell.
“I would like to say that I am more consistent,” she says. “I also have a better mental game than I did last year. I would always get mad at myself on the course but now I am more patient. Last year I struggled with my driver but now I can rely on it to hit it right down the middle.”
Millie, 16, is the daughter of Katie and Todd Truesdell. She has a 3.9 GPA and is a member of NHS, Interact Club and PickleBall Club. She also plays soccer for Dexter and enjoys snowboarding, working out, running and traveling.
Truesdell says she still needs to figure out her plans for after high school. “I have thought about playing golf in college and I know I could do it,” she said. “But I’m not sure if it is for me yet.”
