Those who understand the game of golf will confirm that being long off the tee is an advantage but it’s the short game that determines success on the links. Just ask Aubrey House, a junior at McAlester High School who is taking aim on more than just qualifying for the Class 5A state tournament in May. “My favorite club in my bag is my driver because ‘I can smoke it’,” said House while pointing her index finger to signal something more. “But the best part of my golf game is my approach shots that keep landing my ball close to the hole so I can shave strokes off the scorecard.”

Inspired by the accomplishments of her favorite golfer, Lexi Thompson who at age 12 became the youngest golfer ever to qualify for the U.S. Open, House cherishes the memory of a Top-10 finish at the Class 5A state tournament as a freshman in 2019. While acknowledging the importance of “lots of practice, House says there’s another advantage that empowers her golf game. “Short game as in having a short memory, forget about a bad shot and just focus on the next one,” smiled House with a look of confidence. “The mental part of the game is definitely the hardest part of the playing golf at a championship level. Don’t let one mistake cause two more.”

McAlester girls golf coach Seth Burgess agrees with House. “Her ability to focus on the next shot and consistently maintain a competitive mindset puts Aubrey at the top of the leaderboard,” said Burgess. “Her drive and determination to be one of the best in the state on the golf course and in the classroom make her a great student athlete and representative of McAlester.”

Cherishing the influence of family members whose examples inspired her to be independent, strong and hard working, the talented golfer defines herself with three words of importance. “Caring and hardworking are important to me but at the top of the list is honesty,” said House, who has committed to play college golf at Oklahoma City University with career aspirations as a dental hygienist. “Golf is known as a game of honor and that’s how it should be in everyday life in order to achieve success by building trust in order to develop a winning personality.”