By Kali Westerberg
UWRF Sports Information

Kelli Dahle played her first season of golf this year at UW-River Falls and although the golf season is over, practices are not over for her because she will also be playing for the Falcon hockey team this winter.

One of Dahle's teammates, Kara Coughlin, also juggled two sports her first year at UW-River Falls. Coughlin played golf and volleyball, which compete during the same season. "Kara has given me a lot of encouragement this year," said Dahle.

However, that's not what her grandpa wanted for her when she was growing up. "My grandpa was a big golfer and wanted be to quit hockey so that I could play golf." Her grandpa was not the only one who got her into the world of golf. Her neighbor took her to the driving range when she was very young, only five-years-old.

As a team, Dahle felt that the Falcons did well this season. However, she was not very satisfied with her individual scores. Her goal for next year's season is to "shoot consistently in the low 80s or 70s." She feels that driving and long irons are the best part of her game.

Dahle has many role models, but feels as if her high school coach, Jeff Nelson, is the most influential. "He understood the game so well and knows all the different rules. He knew every different shot and offered helpful ways to make my game top-notch."

Recently, there has been a lot of information about Michelle Wie in the news. She is a sixteen-year-old from Honolulu, Hawaii, who announced that she was going pro. Dahle said that she is a "phenomenal golfer. I respect her a lot for that."

Dahle. who is from Bemidji, Minn., hopes to continue playing golf throughout her life. "Golf is a sport that you can always play. I hope that I can continue it in the future and just have fun playing."

One of the most exciting moments in Dahle's golfing career was when she was a sophomore and junior in high school when her team went to state. In 2004, her junior year, everybody on her team thought that they had lost the tournament. Everybody on the team was crying, but she found out that they had actually won. "I counted up the scores again and found out that we won by two shots. I ran back to my team and told them and we were all happy."

Another exciting moment in Dahle's life was when she was in eight grade. This was when she almost had a hole-in-one. "The ball hit the pin once and then bounced out of the cup."  

Dahle is majoring in biology. Eventually, however, she wants to go to school for physical therapy. She might transfer to the University of North Dakota for that program, but is still unsure of what she will do. Her ultimate goal is to either work in pediatrics, sports medicine, or physical therapy.

Dahle was nominated as Falcon Golfer of the Week two weeks in a row this year. Her lowest round was 83 and her best tournament was 167, both came at the WIAC Championships held Oct. 1-2 at the Nemadji Golf Course in Superior. She was the team's top individual finisher and tied for 11th place oveall. The Falcons placed fifth of seven teams at the meet.

Kelli Dahle