It took Elia Folch one lesson with her father at seven years old to fall in love with golf in her native country of Spain.
Fifteen years later, she is the senior and leader of the OCU Women’s Golf team.
Folch, a native of Barcelona, Spain, grew up with two siblings. Golf has always been in her family.
“My father has been playing golf for a long time and taught us how to play at a very young age,” Folch said. “I cried during my first golf lesson. I told my dad it was too hard, and I didn’t want to do it.
“But when the day was over, I realized I had fallen in love with golf.”
At the age of 11, Folch attended the Barcelona Centro de Alto Rendimiento, an all-sports academy located 20 minutes north of Barcelona.
She pursued elementary school and high school there, along with some the top teenage athletes in the country.
“It was very competitive,” Folch said. “My fellow classmates were some of the most talented prospects in their respective sports.
“We would compete in everything, even in the classroom.”
Folch participated in a tournament in Miami, Fla., the summer before she graduated, where she got a lot of exposure due to her good performances.
A scout approached her after the tournament and told her to think about playing in the U.S. as a scholar-athlete.
After she graduated, Folch earned an athletic scholarship at Seminole State College in Sanford, Florida, a junior college where she could pursue her education and play golf.
The transition was not easy for the Spain native.
“I could not speak English. The culture and the lifestyle were different, very different.” Folch said. “But I had great teammates that really helped to learn the language and to adjust to the lifestyle.
“They made it easier for me, and I could express myself at ease on the golf course.”
The first two years at Seminole State College allowed Folch to shine in regional tournaments when she was looking for a school to transfer to after junior college.
Golf coach Marty McCauley was quick to convince her to become a Star.
“Coming out of Seminole State College, Elia was one of the top junior college players in the country,” McCauley said. “She had several options, but I think she ended up choosing OCU because of our schedule and our tradition. It ended up being a good fit for her and for us.
“We’re very glad and fortunate to have her.”
Folch finished first in the conference. She helped the Stars win the conference title and the 2012 national title, where she finished national runner-up.
“Hard work and togetherness were the secrets to our success last year,” Folch said. “It was the best feeling ever at the end.
“We all walked to the last hole with coach as a symbol of the season we had just had.”
Since Folch arrived at OCU, Coach McCauley said he admires the good team spirit she has brought.
“She was a huge part of why we were able to win the national tournament last year,” McCauley said.
“Not just with her golf game, but also her qualities as a person and a human being.”
Folch is a business administration major. She talks about her plans for the future with a smile.
“Whatever the future has in store for me, I’ll take it. I can’t wait to get my degree, but I also wish to be able to play golf for a long time and keep that family tradition going,” Folch said.
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