For many student athletes, MU might not feel like home right away. Getting adjusted to a new team in a new place with all new people is easier said than done. For freshman Julia Bower, MU already felt like home when she chose to continue her golf career on Mizzou’s women’s team.
Bower grew up in Columbia and graduated from Rock Bridge High School, where she shined on the women’s golf team. In her senior year, Bower was named co-champion at the 2016-17 Missouri State Championship, which brought her high school team to a second-place state finish.
Her accomplishments are impressive, especially for a golf career that only began a few years ago. Bower played soccer until she switched to golf later in high school.
“I played soccer from when I was 4 years old until sophomore year of high school,” Bower said. “I just started to get sick of it. My dad played soccer and I come from a big soccer family, but once I started playing golf I just liked it so much more.”
Switching from soccer, a team-oriented sport, to golf, a far more individual one, helped Bower recognize and appreciate the differences between team dynamics for both sports.
“On the soccer team, everyone has very similar personalities and interests since you’re all out there on the field working together and doing the same thing,” Bower said. “With golf you have a lot of different personalities because it is a very individual sport.”
As the only freshman on the Missouri women’s golf team, the other eight members of the squad have given Bower a lot to work toward. With accomplished golfers like sophomore Jessica Yuen and junior Emma Allen to look up to, Bower knows she will have to work hard to earn a spot to compete.
“If I was to go to a smaller school I would probably have more opportunities to compete,” Bower said. “Being here I have to push myself to be a better golfer and I have something to work towards. I would rather start at a lower place and work my way up.”
Bower has a good track record of accomplishing her goals, [playing golf at MU being one of them](http://www.columbiatribune.com/95039384-efac-57f8-9dcb-b01f1000ccbe.html). For this season, Bower is focusing on her swing and adjusting to playing college golf. Her four-year plan consists of improving her game overall and ultimately making a larger impact on the team.
“I tend to set pretty high goals for myself in anything that I do. Just the kind of person that I am. After a few months of playing, I was like, ‘I want to play at Mizzou.’ My dad was like, ‘Really?’ It was a really high goal.” Bower said to the Columbia Tribune last September.
When she committed to play at Mizzou in September 2016 as a walk-on member of the team, she knew she would have a smoother adjustment to college life than others.
“It’s a little weird seeing people that I know from high school all the time, but it’s been really nice to see a familiar face now and then,” Bower said. “It’s been a lot of fun here so far and I feel more comfortable since I’m not away from home. I’m also familiar with the golf course and the facilities, which has made things a little bit easier.”
Being both a student and an athlete at a competitive school like MU promises a packed freshman year. However, a demanding schedule is not something that Bower shies away from.
Her dedication and drive were instilled in her during her days as a soccer player in high school, and she will carry those with her over the next four years with Mizzou women’s golf.
_Edited by Eli Lederman | elederman@themaneater.com_
