Pure enjoyment

Golf isn’t about just counting strokes to Ashley Saffle.

Golf is something to be enjoyed.

A two-time state golf tournament veteran, the East Valley High School junior is good at enjoying the game.

“I got my first set of sticks when I was 9, but I didn’t get serious about the game until I was 11,” she explained. “At first, I’d just go out and play nine holes with my stepdad and my mom. But when I started to play Washington Junior Golf Association, I got more serious about the game. I realized I could win something.

“Since then I’ve been pretty serious about my game.”

But, Saffle is quick to point out, there’s a difference between being serious about the game and being too serious during the game.

“I stopped playing WJGA because I didn’t really like the style of golf they played there,” she said. “It was so tense, and it got to the point where you were almost like enemies with who you were playing a round with.

“High school golf isn’t like that. You go out and you can enjoy yourself playing the game. I like that style of golf better.

“I focus as much during high school golf as I did playing WJGA, but the atmosphere isn’t as intense and you can have fun. It’s more like the people in your foursome are the people you’re playing with that particular day – you don’t necessarily treat them as opponents.”

A round of golf is something to be enjoyed – something she still enjoys regularly with her family.

“That’s something I look forward to,” she said, smiling broadly. “It’s fun and it’s great that we can do that as a family.”

It’s something she also enjoys sharing with her teammates.

“Ashley Grater, our No. 2 player, and I like to get out and practice together,” Saffle said. “This has been a big improvement year for her – her game has really improved. She and I like to get together and practice during the summer.”

Saffle is hoping to have some company at the state tournament this year – especially since the event is set for MeadowWood in Liberty Lake.

“It definitely will help having the state tournament on, basically, one of our home courses,” Saffle said. “We’ll be playing at MeadowWood a couple times before the state tournament, and the week of state I always get out to play the course at least once before the tournament.

“It helps to know the course and know the greens. It just gives you that much more confidence.”

Saffle’s confidence has grown with each trip to state.

“State was in the Tri-Cities my freshman year, and I was the only person from East Valley to qualify,” she said. “It was a different experience for me. I was down there with my mom, my stepdad and my coach, so that was a little different experience for me. Being there as a freshman was a little intimidating, too – I was playing with two juniors and a senior in my foursome.

“I’d really wanted to make the cut and play the second day, but I figured I’d played pretty well and I was happy with how I performed.”

Saffle missed making the cut by a single stroke as a freshman.

“Last year getting to the second day felt really good,” she said. “I was playing a course, Hangman, that really intimidated me at first. It’s a longer course and that got to me a little. Luckily I was able to pull it together.”

Saffle said she has considered returning to the WJGA circuit over the summer but decided against it.

“My mom talked to me about it the other day because this is the last year I could play,” she explained. “But because I work in order to save money for college, I don’t think I will – I don’t think I would be able to practice enough to really play WJGA. I’ll just play casually this summer.”

And she’s hoping for a chance to play golf in college.

“My mom has been following the golf team at Washington State online and she keeps me posted on how they’re doing,” she said. “I would love to be able to play there.”

Mostly, though, Saffle said she’s pleased to have such a devoted fan.

“Mom and I were talking in the car on the way home after the last Greater Spokane League tournament,” Saffle laughed. “She asked me if I thought I needed to get new fairway woods and if I thought it would improve my game.

“She said, ‘You know I’m your biggest fan, don’t you.’

“Yeah, I do.”