New Ulm's Paa continues summer of golf

NEW ULM -- Brad Metter is the new head girls basketball coach at New Ulm High. Metter is a graduate of Northern State in Aberdeen, S.D., and previously was the girls basketball coach in Emory, S.D., and was also an assistant coach in Avon, S.D., and Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial.

Metter will also teach math. He replaces Paul Meyer.

PAA HAS SUCCESS IN WISCONSIN: New Ulm's Amanda Paa, the daughter of Randy and Kim Paa, continues to have success on the links.

This past week, Paa -- a senior-to-be at New Ulm High -- participated in the Western Women's National Tournament in LaCrosse, Wis.

"I qualified (in stroke play) and then went into match play where I won my first match 6 and 4," she said. "(Wednesday) I lost my match in 19 holes (one playoff hole) to Jessica Smith from Louisville. She is a very good golfer."

Despite the loss, Paa was happy with her play.

"I shot a 77 and par is 73 so I felt that I played well," Paa said. "The course that we played was very challenging. It was 6,200 yards long, which is as long as our blue championship tees here at New Ulm (Country Club). It was really hilly and there were a lot of times where you had shots that did not have flat lies and you had to hit it on to a green that was surrounded by bunkers. The greens were fast and sloping. I was glad that I got to play a difficult course because I think that it is going to be like that next week."

That comes when Paa heads to Kansas City for the United States National Tournament Monday.

"I drove the ball exceptionally well (at LaCrosse) on a long course and that is a key -- to keep the ball in the fairway. My putting also got better the last two days of the tournament and that will really help my confidence," said Paa.

And confidence is something that Paa has along with a lot of talent.

LUCKRAFT HELPS PAA: One of the reasons Paa has succeeded, besides her God-given talent, has been the coaching of Mike Luckraft, the PGA professional at St. James Country Club.

Luckraft has worked with Paa for the last two and a half years and has seen her get better all the time.

"She is physically stronger, she has matured," he said. "She has worked on her upper- and lower-body strength. That helps her gain more distance, which is a factor in women's golf. Players who are able to drive the ball with a little more distance continually get shorter clubs in their hands like wedges and pitching wedges and that is easier to score with ...

"That is what she has been doing more consistently well this year is driving the ball for distance. She has also improved her short game a lot."

And Luckraft, who played college golf at South Carolina, sees Paa getting nothing but better and better with a bright future in the sometimes frustrating game of golf.

"When I watch her play, she has all the physical skills," he said. "But it is a tough game. There are a lot of talented players out there and it comes down to getting some breaks for anyone. She certainly has the talent to become a D-I player in college.

"The biggest thing for her is to continue to maintain strength so she can get more distance. The courses that she will face (in the future) are very difficult. They (United States Golf Association) will set up courses that are very tough and very tricky. That strength will make her a better player."

"Mike has been a great coach and role model for me," said Paa. "He has really helped me a lot. We changed my swing completely from when I started. We had to make those changes. I could have stayed average my whole life, but what he did with my swing has gotten me to the next level."

BUSY SUMMER FOR PAA: This has been a busy summer for Paa. "Since the state (high school golf tournament) I have played in seven tournaments. My best tournament has been when I qualified for the U.S. Juniors. I played very well that day and I also played well in Brainerd."

Paa will remain busy. Following the trip to Kansas City, she will play in the Minnesota State Amateur the following week. "I am also a member of the Shoreland Golf team for (Minnesota Golf Association) and we have made it to the state tournament."

By then, it will be time for Paa to return for her senior year at NUHS with volleyball practice beginning Aug. 13.

During the off-season from golf, she will try and get on the course on the weekends and then will keep herself in shape with volleyball and basketball. Paa will also work more on her strength through weightlifting, along with exercises to strengthen her back and stomach muscles.

COLLEGE OUTLOOK: Colleges are already showing interests in Paa, who is also exceptional in the classroom.

"I have talked to the University of Minnesota, University of Iowa, University of Northern Iowa and Bradley University along with Minnesota State-Mankato," she said. "I want to major in business marketing."

But she keeps an eye toward perhaps also being a teaching pro.

"There is a school in Michigan, Ferris State, that has a PGA four-year program.I have looked at that and that is something that I would really like to do is become a teaching pro like Mike. That would be a dream come true for me."