Sally Morgan

Sally Morgan, age 13, recently won two tournaments on the Georgia PGA Junior Tour and one event on the Atlanta Junior Golf Tour, victories that she says were "really exciting. There were quite a few girls in the tournaments, so there was great competition."

Sally is also a two-time Junior Club Champion (2007-2008) at White Columns Country Club and was chosen to All-Atlanta Junior Golf team in 2008. On the Atlanta Junior Golf team, she had one win with eight top-ten finishes and was runner up in overall points for 2008. Her skill level has surpassed many her age, and Sally has recently had the opportunity to play against girls as old as eighteen.

Sally is a member of White Columns Country Club, and she met Director of Instruction Cody Barden almost seven years ago, when she was just six years old. Sally's respect for Barden's instruction has positively impacted her game, as she notes, "Cody's taught professionals... I feel lucky to have him. I feel better about my game, and that gives me confidence, so I can feel good about my swing."

Although Sally attended two years of Clemson University golf camps and received instruction from other coaches in the past, Sally feels she learns best from Barden's pedagogy. "The way he teaches the lessons are fun... sometimes he makes them into a game. It's more 'my talk' so I can understand things better," she says. Sally usually trains with Barden twice a month and tries to get to White Columns several times a week to practice.

In the last several years, Sally's skill level has come a long way. When Sally was younger, she had the nickname 'Dance Partner' because she would turn after her swing. "Now I can concentrate more and stay in place," Sally says. "When it's my shot, I take it seriously." In recent months, Barden and Sally "have been working on a smoother back swing, and following through with the ball," and these lessons have helped her hit the ball a greater and more accurate distance.

Sally has many goals in the upcoming years, including trying out for Milton High School's golf team. She's already looking ahead to college scholarships and milestone tournaments. She cites professional Fred Funk as one of her golf inspirations; she met him recently during a tournament practice round. He invited her to walk three holes with him, and their brief dialogue helped show Sally that all dreams are achievable.

In addition to Sally's recent golf achievements, she has been selected three times to Principal's Academic Honor Roll at Northwestern Middle School, is a member of the Junior Beta Club, and served as President of Students Against Destructive Decisions. She is also actively involved in dance, archery, girl scouts and music.