A Game for Life: Lauren Chambs' Story

Golf is a sport nobody can perfect, and that's why Lauren Chambs loves it.

She was seven years old when her dad brought her along on the course to ride in the cart. She watched him play and thought he was the coolest person alive.

Not long after, Lauren signed up for a Youth on Course clinic at Eagle Lake. She walked away with a new set of clubs, her first lesson, and a love for the game that has followed her ever since.

Lauren is a senior at Wayzata High School now, one of the top junior golfers in the state, and a Team Minnesota athlete.

One in Six Million

"Golf is not a game of perfect. Golf is all about how good your misses are. If you miss, are you still on the fairway, or are you 50 yards left or right?" Lauren explains.

She held that philosophy through years of competitive play, from lessons at Rush Creek to junior tournaments across the state. She loves that no matter how much time she puts into the game, there's always room for growth.

"I know I could practice every hour of every day and I'll never be perfect at it. I still want to be the best I can,” she says.

In her last tournament at Bunker Hills, Lauren stepped up on the par-5 second hole and made an albatross from 172 yards out. The odds of that shot are roughly one in six million. But she had to quickly compose herself and continue her round.

That's the thing about golf. It gives you a moment like that, and then puts you right back on the tee box for the next hole. The round isn't over, and neither is the work.

What is Youth on Course?

Minnesota has the second-largest Youth on Course program in the country, with more than 25,000 junior golfers enrolled. For Lauren, the program did what it was designed to do: it got her on the course.

"Youth on Course is a genuinely great program to get kids out on the golf course. I've used the junior rates at Baker National a few times. It's a great way for kids to get into the game without having to make too many sacrifices," she says.

Just like any sport, golf can be an investment for families, and the window to fall in love with any sport is short. Programs like Youth on Course close that gap.

"It's great exposure," Lauren said. "Kids can get out on the golf course and just experience it."

Chin Up, Shoulders Back

Lauren developed her style and personality playing competitive golf through high school. Golf is a commitment, and she worked to balance the sport she loves and her schoolwork.

"I've learned how to communicate with adults and make sure I'm still on track with everything in class. There's a lot of hard work on and off the course," Lauren shares.

Her freshman year, she shot a 12 on a par-5 during the Willingers Invite. She was so frustrated by the time she reached her eighth shot, she broke into tears. Her coach found her on the fairway and told her to keep her chin up, because her teammates could see her—and what they saw would affect how they played.

"My morale was low, but their morale could be crushed by knowing I was having a bad hole. So I just moved on, kept playing, and stuck with it," she says.

She finished that round with an 86—and learned grit that day.

As Lauren heads to Fargo (North Dakota State University) this fall, golf will stay close. She plans to compete at the college level and then pursue medical school to become a surgeon. She's already drawing the parallels.

She says, "maybe golf will help me manage the tough days ahead, too."

Youth on Course relies on a network of golf associations, courses, and members across the country to keep junior golf accessible. Donations to the MGA foundation help support programs like this one — and stories like Lauren's.