Today we’d like to introduce you to Kayla Jones.
Kayla, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I started playing golf when I was five years old. It was right about the time my dad was at the peak of his obsession with the game. Naturally, he dragged me along to the driving range where I sat on a bench day after day while he hit golf ball after golf ball. One day, I asked him to let me try. With a club twice as long as I was tall, I swatted away at golf balls until I developed a love for it myself. I think that with each small accomplishment, I became more and more driven. I constantly set new goals for myself and when I achieved those, I set a few more. I went on to become a junior All-American. Then, a Division I college athlete at Florida State University (Go Noles). Now I am a professional golfer traveling to places that my five-year-old self wouldn’t have imagined that golf would take her.
Has it been a smooth road?
It wasn’t always easy. There were times when people didn’t believe in me (there still are). There were times when I considered hanging up the clubs for good. There were injuries, setbacks, financial troubles, and a number of other things standing in the way of me and my dreams. I remember just struggling to find a place to practice during my upbringing in New York. I hate to say it, but golf isn’t always accessible to everyone. We bounced from municipal course to municipal course; some that weren’t accepting of young golfers at all and some that charged a huge amount just for me to play nine holes after school before dark. My dad even took on a second job caddying at one of New York’s premiere courses so that I would have a place to practice that I could truly improve.
Please tell us more about what you do, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
I am currently in my rookie year on the Symetra Tour as well as the Australian Ladies Professional Golf Tour. What I am most proud of is where I came from. I play a “country club sport” however I wasn’t always a country club kid. I’m proud of the fact that I’m a female in a predominantly male sport. I’m proud of the fact that I’m a minority. Basically, I’m proud of the fact that I don’t look like what you would think of as the typical golfer. I believe that golf should be for everyone; not just those who look a certain way or are financially well-off. It is an outlet, a form of exercise, and a vessel for amazing experiences and friendships that I think a lot of people could benefit from given the opportunity. My parents instilled in me from a young age the value of being well-rounded. Sure, it’s great to be an athlete, but I am so much more than that. Being a professional golfer, I have a platform that allows me to reach a lot of other people. I believe that I have what it takes to be a real game-changer. I know that I am just getting started, but I want to invest in and inspire the next generation of golfers. I want more young girls to play and realize that they are worthy of athletic success and the confidence that comes with it. I want people of all backgrounds to come to the golf course and feel welcomed. I want to share my sport with the world because of all it has given me.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
I am not sure where it is going, but I hope golf becomes more inclusive. I also hope that female athletes continue to pave the way in getting the recognition they deserve for all the hard work they put into their sports. We have come a long way, but that doesn’t mean it should stop there.
Contact Info:
- Email: kaylavjones00@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kaylavjones/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kayla.jones.7547
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/kaylavictoria58
Image Credit:
Personal photo: Emily McLennan, Photo in red shirt: Zach Sepanik, All others are my own
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