Carr Discusses Her Golf Journey As A&T Sets to Host Tournament

Christyn Carr started playing golf at the age of 7.

Erin E. Mizelle

Head women's golf coach Richard Watkins and Christyn Carr discuss the game on the green.

Women's Golf | 10/4/2021 1:17:00 PM

By Jaydn James
A&T student

EAST GREENSBORO -- North Carolina A&T women's golfer Chrystin Carr (SR, Atlanta, Ga.) has faced adversity. She's felt like the odd one out. She's even questioned her future as a golfer. However, with those moments came much greater ones—moments of joy, peace, and fulfillment. Carr explains her journey through life inside and outside of golf. She has high expectations for this upcoming golf season as the Aggies prepare to play in A&T's Aggie Invitational at Bryan Park, Oct. 4-5.

Carr's father, pro golfer Chris Carr, is the reason why Carr became so interested in the sport.

"When I was able to crawl, I would pick up the ball and put it in the hole if he missed a putt or something," said Carr.

Carr fell in love with golf at a young age and started participating in camps, such as the "Women In Golf Camp" in Atlanta, where she found out that she likes to compete. She began playing in tournaments at 7 and has been playing the sport competitively ever since.

The Lessons Learned

However, there were a few struggles that came along with Carr's greatness. During her freshman year of high school, she made it to states as an individual, eventually winning a playoff game. Unfortunately, she found out a day or two later that one of the distance measuring tools she used during the game was not allowed in high school golf.

"Did it help me win? Absolutely not," said Carr. "However, I felt conviction in knowing that I could be taking someone else's spot by breaking the rules."

She decided to withdraw from the competition and ultimately gave up her spot. She indicated that this was one of the hardest things she had to do. However, she believes it was a good decision because her character and integrity go before winning a tournament.

After that moment, Carr won states her junior and senior year as an individual, and her team won her senior year.

"Everything always comes full circle. I believe when you do the right thing, and you're working out of God's will, everything is going to turn out how it's supposed to," Carr said.

Despite all of her success, Carr still wasn't being recruited to play collegiate golf. That caused her to be discouraged and question her future with golf. But then, the first day of class came.

The Fifth Option

Carr had a choice of electives at Northview High School in Fulton County. Her fifth choice in electives was a weight training class. But, as circumstances would have it, she got her fifth choice, and she wasn't happy about it.

But as it turns out, her fifth choice was a blessing in disguise.

That semester, Carr's weight training teacher happened to be a former student of A&T's men's and women's golf coach Richard Watkins. Watkins used to teach fitness and wellness classes at A&T. The weight training teacher connected the star golfer with Watkins, who was beginning to start a golf program at A&T. After Carr's conversation with Watkins, he scheduled a school tour, and the rest is history.

Carr decided to sign with A&T even though she didn't know what to expect attending a Historically Black College or University. She says that the population at her high school had very few African Americans. 0125_Carr

Even though most of her friends in high school were African American, Carr says it was still different coming to a predominantly African American school.

"I suddenly felt like a minority again, but in a different way. But I came to love that there is so much diversity within us at A&T," Carr said. "As far as golf goes, I would not have gotten many of the opportunities I've gotten if I wasn't at an HBCU. "You don't hear of many black golfers. So it's been a huge asset to be here at an HBCU to play golf. I completely love my experience, and I couldn't imagine being at any other school."

There Are Not Many

According to Sportsnet, there are only four black golfers on the PGA tour. In addition, the Detroit News reported in 2019 that there are only two black women on the LPGA tour. In 2019, according to AP News, only about 300 of the NCAA's more than 10,000 college golfers were black.

"When you're in a position where you know that you're making a change, it comes with great responsibility," said Carr. "I know that when I am going out to the golf course, I'm not only representing myself, but I'm representing so many young African American girls who might not even know that golf is out there for them."

Carr admits that she gets stares when she goes onto the golf course, and people also question whether she should even be there. However, one of Carr's inspirations growing up, and to this day, is African American Golfer Mariah Stackhouse. Stackhouse is on the US-LPGA tour and has over $600,000 in career earnings. Carr worked with Stackhouse's dad when she was approximately 10 years old, so in turn, she would be able to see Mariah come into practice. Stackhouse's work ethic amazed Carr.

Hey, Nurse
Carr also had other inspiring moments growing up that would lead her to have a bright future even outside of golf. For example, when she was 12, she had her appendix removed. It was her first time in a hospital, and she even had to miss a golf tournament because of the procedure. "I couldn't believe I was there. I was really, really mad," said Carr.

The one person she remembered being beside her the entire time besides her parents was her nurse. That intimate moment eventually led her to the decision to declare a nursing major. Carr has the highest GPA in the nursing school at A&T. "I realized how much I liked science, and how I've always just had a big heart for people, and to be with someone during their most vulnerable moments and make it a good moment for them, really makes my heart smile. And nursing encompasses all three of those."

Carr's teammate, Xus Boria, witnesses Carr's leadership and big heart on the golf course. Boria says Carr has always been the "mom of the team." Boria said: "She's a great role model. She's the type of person who always puts academics first. She always pushes you to do better."

The Big South
Through all of Carr's success at A&T, including playing 14 rounds of golf and totaling 1,088 strokes, the one thing she has not been able to do is to compete for a conference championship.

"What I'm most excited for is us moving into the Big South. This is my first year being able to actually compete in a conference championship, which is what you look for as a college athlete."

Within the past few years with A&T women's golf, they haven't competed in a conference championship in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) because the NCAA requires conferences to have at least six teams to conduct a conference tournament and be eligible for an NCAA automatic qualifier.

"Now we are finally able to get into the Big South and set up our skills against some of the best schools, and then hopefully be able to make it to the NCAA Championship," Carr said.

Carr would tell young African American women pursuing golf that they should enjoy themselves while playing the game. However, Carr says that she played at such an early age that she does not believe she always enjoyed the game because she put tremendous pressure on herself.

"I think that when you enjoy the game, you're able to love the game," said Carr. "Golf teaches lessons, not only to be a good golfer but to be a good person. To have patience, integrity, courage, and stamina to stay out there, not give up, and keep pushing. That's what it's all about. So I would say really really have fun and see where the game can take you."

Carr would know because she's been on the journey.

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