Stepping up to the tee on the 18th hole of the NorCal high school championship at Berkeley Country Club in El Cerrito on Nov. 12, Taylor Baker knew she was among the leaders, maybe first, but she also knew that this was a tough course where she hadn’t played her best the year before.
She wasn’t taking anything for granted.
“Stepping onto the tee box I kind of had an idea that I was leading but I just told myself to keep doing what I was doing and I hadn’t made any bogeys so I felt pretty good,” she said.
Baker made par on the 344-yard par-four hole to finish two under and beat Petra Yee of Pleasant Grove by a stroke.
“The win felt great, like all my hard work had paid off,” she said. “I didn’t have a great run at that course last year so to come back with more motivation and to win felt even better.”
The event capped an amazing year for Baker in which she won tournaments, competed throughout the country, committed to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, and finished every competitive game below par at the Raider’s home course, Ancil Hoffman Golf Course, in Carmichael.
Taylor started playing golf at 5 or 6 with her dad and sister and has played competitively for six years.
“My dad introduced me (to golf) and I would play with one of my best friends in middle school and I just fell in love with it,” she said.
Baker’s focus now is on college, following a sometimes stressful recruiting process.
“I got offers from a couple other schools but my main ones were Colorado and San Diego State,” Baker said. “I chose Cal Poly because the second I stepped on campus I knew it was the right fit for me…. What I wish I knew (about recruiting) is that you really have no need to stress because you will end up where you are meant to be. ”
She will enter as a business finance major but may switch to agricultural business.
After that she may “try out” playing professionally.
Baker says she is inspired by her coaches, “because seeing their success makes me want to be like them.”
And her coach at Rio, history teacher Rocco Marrongelli, is likewise inspired by Baker.
“I’m impressed with the hard work that Taylor put into the team as well as helping me,” he said. “Taylor should be very proud of her accomplishments as she is the first female golfer at Rio Americano to compete at the state championships.”
Despite surpassing every high school golfer in Northern California, Baker says what she loves most about the game is that there is always room to grow.
“I like the constant challenge, you never perfect it,” she said. “Golf is so hard and I think that’s what makes everyone come back to it and I really like the independance. I also like getting to meet new people and travel to new places.”
