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Golfer Mindy Smith's driving ambition

A natural athlete discovers golf, masters it and qualifies for a spot in an amateur tournament.

By KELLIE DIXON, Times Staff Writer
Published October 3, 2007

Mindy Smith, 47, hones her skills on the driving range of the Silverado Golf Course in Zephyrhills. She qualified to play this week in the U.S. Mid-Amateur tournament in Arizona but missed the cut.
	[Mike Pease | Times]

ZEPHYRHILLS -- As a child, Mindy Smith watched as her dad drove golf balls into a cow pasture on their 300-acre farm. It seemed natural that she would gravitate to the same sport, but softball and adventure racing caught her eye instead.

She took up golf, too, but wasn't all that serious about it until a few years ago. She got good fast. Now, at age 47, she has hung up her softball spikes and adventure gear. The Zephyrhills native qualified to play this week in the U.S. Mid-Amateur tournament in Arizona but missed the cut.

Smith qualified for the national event by finishing tied for second at a sectional qualifier in Tampa. She shot 79.

Amazing is how Roberta Speer, Smith's golf instructor, chooses to describe her student's progress in two years. It's all about commitment, Speer said.

Shortly before Smith started golfing, her father and uncle turned the family's farm land into a community with a golf course in the middle. A natural athlete, Smith was intrigued and a bit frustrated by the game. Her pure athleticism, helpful in adventure racing and softball, wasn't paying off.

"You know, swing it hard and hope for the best," Smith said. "But it's not like that in golf. ... You have to be mentally strong for four hours."

Focus initially was a problem for Smith, who at first just wanted to add golf to her list of hobbies. But the desire to get better consumed her. She returned to Speer, an LPGA professional, ready to commit to the game.

"She is very dedicated to this," Speer said. "Obviously she works, but when she has spare time, she's working on her golf or thinking about it."

She spends her lunch hour driving balls at the range or working on her short game. She sees Speer once a week.

Six months ago, it all started coming together for Smith. Most noticeably, her club head speed improved by as much as 15 mph.

Her 18-hole score plummeted from the mid 80s to the low 70s. Her handicap is a 4.

Smith qualified for the amateur event in her second attempt. She made up for last year's poor performance by finishing tied for second in an 18-hole sectional tournament at Avila Golf and Country Club. She came into the tournament with a little more experience, a little more focus and her dad caddying for her.

Brantley Smith, 66, won't caddy for his eldest daughter in Arizona, but she said having him there will help her stay focused. She was thrilled when he agreed to fly with her to Arizona.

He considers a trip to the family cabin in northern Georgia a haul so she figured crossing time zones wouldn't happen.

"He has a great sense of humor," Mindy Smith said. "He's a character. It was great to have him there as a calming influence."

There was a time when he stressed her out. When she first started playing, her dad would place bets on his daughter's putting. It was nerve-racking, but she ultimately looked forward to the pressure. Today's tournament is no different.

"She's better when the pressure is on," Brantley Smith said. "She knows what she has to do."

Contact Kellie Dixon at kdixon@sptimes.com or 352 544-9480.

UP CLOSE: Mindy Smith

• Age: 47
• Born in: Zephyrhills
• Resides in: Temple Terrace
• Family: Dad, Brantley; mom, Carol; sisters Carey and Julie
• Education: South Florida, 2001 with a B.S. in biology.
• Day job: Manages software development team for Quest Diagnostics.
• Her course: Silverado in Zephyrhills. Her family's 300-acre cattle farm used to sit on it. Today her dad owns the course.
• Tournament time: Smith, who had a 4 handicap, was the only local golfer competing for a spot in the 2007 Women's Mid-Amateur, which concludes Thursday.
• Did you know? Before Smith seriously pursued a better golf game, she was an adventure racer with her sister Carey.

[Last modified October 2, 2007, 20:06:43]