Claire Frank-Carr of Lyons is only sure about one thing entering this final week of the girls golf season.
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Whether it ended in the Class AA sectional on Monday, Oct. 12, or at this weekend’s state meet, Frank-Carr had no doubt entering this week that her career as a competitive golfer will end.
Many elite high school golfers are planning to play in college, but not Frank-Carr, a senior from La Grange and Lyons’ top golfer. Frank-Carr is considered a late bloomer — she didn’t start playing until the eighth grade — and her first competitive round of 18 holes was at Lyons’ tryouts as a freshman.
But Frank-Carr is prepared for the next chapter in her life as a recreational golfer.
“I want to go on to play. I don’t want to stop,” she said.
She was introduced to golf through her father, Bill Carr, who “pushed it as a life sport,” Frank-Carr said.
Frank-Carr and junior Jamie Smith were the only qualifiers for Lyons at the Neuqua Valley Sectional. Frank-Carr and Smith shot matching 86s for 17th place at the Hinsdale South Regional Oct. 7 to earn an at-large sectional berth. Lyons’ team placed sixth and did not advance.
Neither made the cut of 77 and saw their seasons come to an end.
“It was weird being the only senior,” Frank-Carr said. “All the girls have played like they’re on a mission. I didn’t feel like a leader, but I felt more like a big sister to them.”
When dealing with this year’s young team of four juniors and a sophomore, Frank-Carr borrowed leadership lessons from 2015 graduates Melissa Marston and Macy Tabachka, her teammates from last season.
“They would bring constant energy and think about staying positive,” Frank-Carr said. “When I was a sophomore and would play bad, those girls always tried to energize me.”
First-year Lyons coach Gretchen Clay faced a rebuilding season after seven seniors graduated a year ago. Three of them were members of the Lyons team that took sixth at state in 2013.
Clay said Frank-Carr does the little things to communicate with her teammates, such as texting all of them to be prepared with warmer clothing for an upcoming meet when poor weather is in the forecast.
“Claire is a great kid. I’m proud of how she has taken over leadership of the team,” Clay said. “She is a great inspiration to the girls below her. I feel like she has given a lot of insight to the younger players.”
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