( atc )
Next Up
Spotlighting the
next generation of
Virginia golfers
LEARNING
THE ROPES
by CHRIS LANG
OLIVIA BOWLING
OLIVIA BOWLING, a past P.J. Boatwright intern at the VSGA, can be found at The
Country Club of Virginia’s driving range or the practice putting green most days, as
she continues her path to full-time PGA membership. Bowling is a Level 1 PGA Asso-
ciate but will be heading to Florida to gain Level 2 certification this winter. One of
the up-and-coming young teachers in the game, Bowling took some time to chat with
Virginia Golfer about her journey to becoming a professional.
Virginia Golfer: When did you start play-
ing golf, and who inspired you to pick up
the game?
Olivia Bowling: I started playing golf
when I was 5 years old. My dad is a great
golfer and introduced me to the game.
He would cut down his old clubs, re-grip
8
them, and let me hit around in the yard.
Having two sisters, it was always hard
to have time with my dad by myself, but
with golf I was able to do that. It was a lot
of fun traveling across the east coast with
my dad, playing in different golf tourna-
ments. He always had a saying: “you play
V I R G I N I A G O L F E R | J A N UA R Y / F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 9
AGE: 25
POSITION: Assistant golf
professional at The Country
Club of Virginia
FUN FACT: Bowling was
captain of Randolph-Macon’s
women’s golf team as a
senior.
well, you get ice cream. You don’t play
well, you still get ice cream.” My grand-
father was also a great golfer and would
take me to play in his men’s groups on
Thursdays at his club when I became
serious about the game. I really think he
only brought me along because I could
vsga.org