Berry College is the next destination for Clara Smith.
Smith is a 2022 Gilmer High honor graduate with distinction and the third alum over the past 15 years to receive the opportunity to play golf in the college ranks.
Smith recently discussed her academic and athletic journey, and noted her situation did not pan out the same as most athletes.
“We kind of did the whole recruitment thing backward,” Smith said. “I had already decided I wanted to go to Berry, then we contacted the coach (Brian Farrer). I was going to Berry either way. My dad (Jason) emailed him to see if they needed anyone and it just kind of worked out.”
Smith noted why she settled on Berry over other top schools even before the opportunity to play golf presented itself.
“I really like the campus, and the size of the school (2,100 undergraduates) was one of the biggest deciding factors for me. We visited Auburn (21K undergrads) a couple weeks before, and I also got into Clemson (23K) and Georgia (29K). When I went to Auburn, it was so big and there were so many people. With Berry, it was more of a community feel, and they have a good nursing program, and that’s what I want to do.
“My mom (Kelly) is a nurse and two of my aunts are nurses, so I’ve always thought about that as a career path. I really started researching it last year, and I think I want to become a nurse anesthetist. I’ll have to be a registered nurse first so I’ll get that and go from there.”
College golf was something Smith started to explore as she wrapped up her junior year at GHS. She began meeting with a swing coach in Kennesaw every other week, which she continued through her senior year.
However, Smith is not a stranger to the sport. She was tagging along with Jason to the driving range as soon as she was able to swing a club. She started to take the sport more seriously at Clear Creek Middle and was a member of the school’s inaugural team in 2017.
Many college-bound baseball, softball and volleyball players opt to play on travel teams during the offseason. With golf, Smith can play as much as she wants as time allows.
“I try to hit balls at least three or four times per week,” she said. “Me and my dad usually try to play on the weekends, and there’s a group of guys at Whitepath we always played with. Recently we joined at Old Toccoa and have been playing there a lot.”
Aside from playing regular rounds locally, Smith has sharpened her game by playing in Georgia State Golf Association tournaments.
“The GSGA has tournaments all over Georgia,” Smith said. “I’ve played in several of those. I try to do it in the summer when there aren’t many tournaments at our local golf course, and if there are, they’re just scrambles.”
She estimated she played in 10 GSGA events over the years and came away with multiple first-place finishes.
Smith enjoys the cerebral aspects of golf and the challenges it offers. Golfers are continually pitted against the elements, the course and themselves throughout a round. Typically, there are aspects of the game that need regular attention.
“I like how mental golf is. It’s definitely the most mental sport I’ve ever played,” Smith said. “You know that it’s up to you to fix the problem if you create it. If you hit a bad shot, you have to go figure it out. I think I’ve gotten a lot better at the mental part this last year. I try not to put so much emphasis on each shot and just try to move on. My dad has helped me with that because if you hit a bad shot and get mad, your next shot is going to be bad, too.
“I feel like my short game needs the most improvement. I hit my driver and irons pretty good, but chipping and putting and things like that can always use some work. Confidence with that stuff is probably the main problem.”
Smith had her best performance at the area tournament her senior year. The event was held in Clarkesville at Apple Mountain Golf Club. Smith shot an 85 on the par 72, 5,550-yard course.
“I tried to just take it one shot at a time and progress,” Smith said. “I was not very happy with my score on the front (45), and was kind of mad about that. I had been playing pretty good but then had a blow-up hole. I just tried to comeback on the back nine. I feel like I did that and played a good bit better.”
Smith credits Jason for aiding her along the way and mentioned what she is looking forward to at the next level.
“My dad has always been there to encourage me and help me with both academics and golf,” she said. “I’m real excited about how college golf is more team centered. I’m excited about that dynamic. I’m interested to see how that is in college because it seems like they’re much more about the team effort than you winning your individual match.”
Berry competes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s Division III as members of the Southern Athletic Association.