Women's Golf | 9/18/2023 9:07:00 AM

GREENSBORO – The North Carolina A&T women's golf team has another exciting season ahead as the Aggies prepare for their 2023-24 schedule. Senior Jayla Rogers breaks down the courses the Aggies will play this season because she has had experience on so many of them during her extraordinary A&T career. The Aggies season-opening tournament is Sept. 18-19 at the Elon Invitational played at Alamance Country Club. 

Tournament: Elon Invitational 
Dates: Sept. 18-19, 2023
Course: Alamance Country Club (Burlington, NC)

JR Breakdown: "I like all the challenges it serves. There are many false fronts, meaning it is a little farther to the pin. The course has plenty of bunkers around the greens, and there is normally water involved on the par 3's, which serves as a challenge. It has getable par 5's, so there are opportunities for birdies and eagles, but the green speeds can be tricky. It is kept up-to-date and in good shape. There is a lot to like about Elon's course."

Tournament: Aggie Invitational 
Dates: Sept. 25-26, 2023
Course: Bryan Park (Greensboro, NC)

JR Breakdown: "Bryan is our home course. We can start with the Players course because it is a player's course. There are many birdies on the course and plenty of opportunities to score. The course does have lengthy par 4's, so it will test your short game, but it allows you to capitalize if you hit close to the green. On the Champions course, you must be super accurate with every part of your game. The Champions course is much longer, so you must be accurate with your longer woods, irons and hybrids. There is more water on the champions and plenty of dogwood rights and lefts. I love how the course challenges you; it plays much faster than the Players side. Pin placement can be tough, but it makes you a better golfer. It is definitely a course for champions."

Tournament: UNCG Collegiate
Dates: Oct. 9-10, 2023
Course: Forest Oaks (Greensboro, NC)

JR Breakdown: "Forest Oaks has thick rough and deep bunkers. It is imperative to commit and not decelerate due to the thick sand in the bunkers. For most greens, you need to play center of the green and under the pin for a better chance to make a birdie or par, but Forest Oaks has undulating greens. The course has many false fronts, so you may need to club up during your entry shots into the hole. Hole No. 1 plays typically longer on your second shot. Whatever the distance is automatically plus-5 (yards). The green is two-tiered. Hole No. 2 is a dogleg, right. If you're not careful, you can hit through the fairway and out of bounds, so you need to make sure you can shape your shot by hitting a cut to the right. Hole No. 4 is a par 5 with lots of water. You need to play smart there. Overall, it is a great course, with many chances at birdies." 

Tournament: SAS HBCU Championship 
Dates: Oct. 14-15, 2023
Course: Prestonwood Country Club (Cary, NC)

JR Breakdown: "We will play in this tournament for the first time, so I'm not sure what to expect. But I know we will be playing against Alabama State, Bethune-Cookman, Delaware State, Howard, North Carolina Central and Prairie View A&M. We are looking forward to it."

Tournament: Brights Creek Invitational 
Dates: Feb. 24-25, 2024
Course: Brights Creek Golf Club (Mills Spring, NC)

JR Breakdown: "I have played on the course once. I don't remember the course that well because the weather conditions were not optimal. I was trying to get through it." 

Tournament: Tulane Classic 
Dates: March 10-11, 2024
Course: Gulf Shores Golf Club (New Orleans, LA)

JR Breakdown: It will be her first time on the course.

Tournament: Mimosa Hills Invitational 
Dates: April 1-2, 2024
Course: Mimosa Hills (Morganton, NC)

JR Breakdown: "At Mimosa Hills, you need to know how to cut the ball to the right, and you need to know how to fade the ball with a high trajectory shot. If you're facing one of their dogwood lefts, you need to be able to draw the ball to hit it high and to the left. You must know how to shape the ball right and left. Mimosa Hills is usually a very windy course, so you must fly your ball down and cut it through the wind. Mimosa Hills has a very long par 3's, meaning you must know you can carry it there with your lower irons. You need to know what club to use down to the yard. That is important at Mimosa Hills because if you don't, you are either going to be in 3-put territory, or you can hit the green and have so much backspin on your ball that it rolls off the green, down the hill, and now you're trying to get back up to save par."

Tournament: CAA Conference Championships
Dates: April 12-14, 2024
Course: St. James (Southport, NC) 

JR Breakdown: "I've played St. James since I was a little child. You talk about opportunities; you could have a birdie party there. The course is always in great shape, and the greens are super quick. They obviously want you to shoot well that first day, so there is a medium-level pin placement. But that last day is the kicker. They do that because most people are tired and think they know the course, so they throw a curve ball at you with the pin placement to make it really tough. And when I say tough, it is to the point that it can be detrimental to your game if you're on the wrong tier on a hole. When you are dealing with the trees and the marsh there, understanding the course, your golf game, and the kinds of shots you can hit, really come into play there."

Tournament: PGA Works Championships
Dates: May 6-8, 2024
Course: TPC Sawgrass (Porte Vedra Beach, Fla.)

JR Breakdown: "I would love to end my career at TPC Sawgrass. TPC Sawgrass is a beautiful course, right up there with Pebble Beach, in my opinion. There is no other way to describe it other than it is beautiful. It's like playing on your dream course. There is no if, ands or buts about it; you have to be on your game to succeed on that course. You have to come out with guns blazing. There is an iconic hole on 17. It is an island hole with water surrounding it, so obviously, multiple shots go in the water. You can watch shots from that hole all day. If you can get to the green and birdie that hole, you're definitely going to be a couple of shots ahead of the field. You're on your way even if you make par on that hole."