Olivia Housler walked up to the tee at the MHSAA Division 1 Regional 2 at Polo Fields Golf and CC in Ann Arbor and fired an 81. It not only earned her a spot at the Division 1 State Finals but was the second best round of the day behind Northville’s McKenzie Stevens (79).
Housler showed the gallery that youth and inexperience mean little when you have the confidence and skill to play with the best of the best.
Only a freshman, Housler also shot an 81 on day one of the State Finals at Ferris State University – it was a top 10 score for the round. She fired a 92 on day two but went birdie-par on her final two holes to finish strong. Her 173 total earned her 26th place among the best golfers in the state and capped off an amazing first season on the links for the Eagles.
“My thoughts going into the State Finals were just to have fun,” she said. “Making it there was a big accomplishment to me on its own so I decided just to go and enjoy the experience.”
One reason why she enjoyed the experience was because she didn’t let the moment get to her – which can easily happen on the golf course. A couple bad shots can turn a round into chaos on a dime if you let it and everyone hits a bad shot or two almost every round.
“I mean it really depends what I’m playing in,” she said on the topic of dealing with emotion on the golf course. “Weirdly enough I felt more nerves during our SEC matches versus a big tournament like States. Typically if I have nerves, I just need to hit one or two good shots and then I feel much better.
“But the mental side is always going to be the hardest part of golf and I still need to get better at it. I just try to take a breath and being where my feet are.”
Housler will remember the positive moments of her first State Finals the most. “The highlight of my rounds was probably when I was putting well and made a birdie on my second to last hole of the season,” she said.
Skyline Coach Melissa Schmidt calls Housler “a very committed and bright golfer.”
“She thrives with new challenges and works extremely hard on her golf skills and her academic success,” Schmidt said. “She is bright, funny, and a great team player within our organization. Her strengths would definitely be her short game, especially chipping.”
Housler has promise, potential and a drive to get better in her bag.
“She continuously works on improving her mental strength and staying level throughout tough rounds,” Schmidt says. “We’re really looking forward to seeing what her high school golf career brings her.”
Olivia, 14, is the daughter of James and Elizabeth Housler and she is currently shooting a 4.0 in the classroom. Golf is a family sport in the Housler house.
“I’ve always been playing golf because my whole family plays,” she said. “I liked just being with my family/friends and having fun.”
She takes lessons from professional JJ Weaver. “Working with him has really helped me grow my skills and give myself the ability to hit more shots,” said Housler, who started playing competitive golf at age 9.
She certainly enjoyed her first round with Skyline.
“This past season was really fun with the team,” she said. “Everyone brought something to the team so it was always fun.”
And after high school?
“I want to study to become a dermatologist, and my goal is to play college golf at a good school while getting that education,” she said.
