MAY 2019 | SportsUnion
By Matt Ondesko
Managing Editor
It’s a serene feeling.
The smell of the fresh cut
grass. The birds chirp-
ing with the sun beating
down. As you get on the
course in the early morn-
ing the fog is rolling in.
It makes it hard to see the
ball when it off the tee,
but there is a story wait-
ing to be told.
It’s just you and the ball
on this day. The fog has
taken over the course,
but the sun is starting
to peak through. It’s go-
ing to be a good day, or at
least you hope. Golf can
be frustrating at times.
You can step on the
course feeling great and
still shot a 72.
The game is very men-
tal, probably more so
than physical. Sure, you
need to be able to hit the
ball a long way, or make
those clutch putts. But,
that’s where the mental
side of the game comes
in.
Missing an easy chip or
missing the green when
you thought you hit it the
way you wanted could
have a negative effect on
you. In golf it’s you and
the course. You can’t ex-
pect a teammate to come
bail you out if you go off
the cliff.
Sara Riso isn’t use to
struggling at the sport
she loves. The former
Mount Mercy Acade-
my standout has been a
dominating force on the
local golf scene in West-
ern New York. She owned
the All-Catholic while in
high school and college
was just going to be an-
other step in her career.
However, college golf is
a lot different that high
school and tournaments.
It’s a different game with
different
expectations.
Riso came to Siena Col-
lege with a lot of expec-
tations on her shoulders.
That’s a lot to handle for
an 18-year-old.
Riso struggled with her
game during her fresh-
man
and
sophomore
campaign. Riso wasn’t
the same person she was
earlier in her career. She
started having some self
doubt about her game.
19
“As a freshman every-
thing was so new to me.
College golf was so much
more different than ju-
nior golf - and it took a
little bit more adapting.
I know my first two years
was pretty frustrating as
fas as golf goes. I wasn’t
performing
as nearly
as well as I wanted to. I
think it’s in someone’s
personality to keep work-
ing,” stated Riso. “That
never give up attitude
has always been part of
who I am. It also took a
lot of mental toughness, I
read a few books here and
there. I had a few articles
sent to me. Our coach
would send us podcast
about the mental side of
things. My mental game
grew 10 fold throughout
the years.”
Everything
turned
around last season. The
Riso that has dominated
Western New York golf
got her game back. She
was able to turn the cor-
ner. The physical side
of her game was always
there, and now the men-
tal side was back.
Riso was attacking the
greens and her short
game was on par - so to
speak. She was ready to
her game to the next lev-
el. Heading into her se-
nior season, Riso wasted
to end her Saints career
on a high - and that’s
what she has been doing.
First is was a great fall
season, and now she is
having a tremendous
spring.
“Once junior year came
around, I felt that I got ev-
erything together,” stat-
ed Riso. “The past four
seasons have been really
successful. I’m grateful
that all that hard work,
that took a lot of patience
and frustration, finally
paid off. My temper has
become a lot better, and I
have become more calm.”
A spring that has been
wet and cold, not exact-
ly ideal golfing weather.
Riso, and her teammates,
look like that are getting
ready to play a hockey
game instead of hitting
the links. Golfers are
used to wearing a polo