On this episode of the Pawdcast, host Sahaana Mehta sits down with Olivia Chappell, an NCAA Division 1 signee set to play golf at California State University, Long Beach  this fall. Olivia shares her journey, from when she first picked up a club to the challenges she’s overcome along the way. Tune in to hear her story; how she’s preparing for the next level; and her advice for aspiring young golfers looking to follow in her footsteps.

Host: Sahaana Mehta (‘25)

Guests: Olivia Chappell (‘25)

Producer: Sahaana Mehta

Transcription: Sahaana Mehta

Art: Claire Kim (’25)

Background Music: “Aesthetic (Sped Up)” by Capcut

Transcript

Sahaana 00:00

Hey everyone. Welcome back to the Wildcat Pawdcast. I’m your host, Sahaana Mehta, and today we have an incredibly special guest on the show, someone who’s about to start an exciting chapter in her golf journey. I’m here with Olivia Chappell, a division one golf signee, heading to the California State University, Long Beach to play for the women’s golf team. Liv, welcome to the podcast.

Olivia 00:21

Thanks so much for having me. I’m super excited to be here.

Sahaana 00:25

And I’m so excited to have you. I know everyone is going to be really interested in hearing about your journey, so let’s dive in. First things first, can you tell us how long you’ve been playing golf and what sparked your interest in the sport?

Olivia 00:47

Yeah, I’ve been playing golf competitively for about five years now, and I started playing just for fun when I was seven, and it all began when my dad used to take me out to the golf course super early before anyone else was out, because I was pretty bad. So we would just play together and honestly, I used to just go because he would let me drive the cart and I thought it was super fun and he would buy me little snacks and stuff. But I guess just being around the game, I slowly kind of fell in love with the process of the game and just everything that goes with it, the components, and it’s been such a rewarding experience.

Sahaana 01:24

Let’s talk a little bit about our school. So how long have you been on varsity here at Brea and what’s the experience been like playing here?

Olivia 01:32

Well, I’ve been on varsity for four years and I was captain for two, and my experience has been pretty good while playing here.

Sahaana 01:39

So how have you balanced academics and golf throughout high school, especially with the commitment of being on varsity all throughout?

Olivia 01:46

Yeah, during season it’s definitely a little hard, especially because I’m missing classes, but as long as I’m communicating with the teachers and they’re chill and they know that I’m doing this for golf, it works out pretty well. I also think that sleep is pretty underrated, you know what I mean? If you don’t get a good night’s sleep, everything is just slower, processing power is down. So having a full stop like, oh, I’m going to sleep at 1 a.m. or whatever, is really important, and then, waking up early to knock out a few things is pretty good. Also, Red Bull…love her.

Sahaana 02:21

So, being on varsity for all four years is very impressive. What would you say were some of the most memorable moments or some of those big accomplishments that stayed with you during those years and what would you say is your highlight golfing here at BOHS?

02:35

Well, in the four years obviously a lot has happened, but I guess some of the memorable moments are when I went to CIF with the team. So that happens three times out of the four years and it’s just really fun because CIF is such a big deal that the energy there is just kind of different. It’s such a huge event. So although we did have to wake up at 4 a.m. to get to the golf course that time because they’d be really far away, it would just be super fun. I just remember our team just huddled together in the cold, sharing the hand warmers around, and it is just a really good time. And then you also get to meet other high school teens that are similar to your level and you get to branch out, but at the same time, you also get your team with you, they’re supporting you, they have your back while you’re playing. So just a really fun time.

Sahaana 03:26

Those team bonding moments and all that social exposure. That sounds really nice. So I also heard you won league individually. That’s a really big deal. Tell me a little bit about what that means and what it was like competing at that level.

Olivia 03:41

It was really cool. League finals was fun every year, but my sophomore year definitely, that was really cool to win league finals because it was a pretty close match. The first day we found out that one of the girls in the other school was cheating, and she was in the lead after the first day and unfortunately, she did not get caught and justice was not served. But on the second day I just really played, I played really well. My game was feeling good and I was playing in the same group as her because I was technically in second place and she absolutely choked. She played really bad, so I ended up stealing the win from her or the lead from her. And on the last hole, it was on the last hole, I made a 15-foot putt to make a birdie and that was the winning stroke. So I won league by one stroke, so that was super cool. It was a really fun moment in my career. That was pretty neat.

Sahaana 04:44

So I think a lot of people don’t realize how much work goes into playing at such a high level, especially at the collegiate level. How many hours do you dedicate to practicing golf?

Olivia 04:54

Golf? So, good question. I mean it really depends on the week, but I’d say I typically practice anywhere from four to six hours a day combined both and after, before and after school, and pretty much all day on the weekends if I’m not competing in a tournament. So that’s including On course practice time in the gym. I need to work on my fitness and mental training. So it’s a lot of work, but it’s all part in prepping for the next level and it’s definitely a full-time commitment.

Sahaana 05:24

What would you say a day in the life is like?

Olivia 05:27

Physical conditioning is pretty huge. So I start my day off in the gym. I usually go for at least an hour a day and just try to get in good shape to help me with endurance and consistency during rounds, because you’re out there for hours. And then I’ll usually hit the range and then I’ll go to school and do my thing. And then after school is when I do on-course practice and miscellaneous things that I think I need to work on. So that’s pretty much it.

Sahaana 05:57

It’s so interesting to hear how multifaceted your training is. Now let’s talk about your family for a second. Is there a legacy of golf in your family or are you sort of the first one to take this path?

Olivia 06:08

Yeah, I’m the first one in my family to pursue golf at this level. My family’s been pretty supportive from the start and they’re really proud of what I’ve been able to accomplish. But yeah, no one else in my family has really played golf competitively, so it’s definitely something that they’ve had to adapt to as well. The closest thing I’d say, is I’m kind of following my dad’s footsteps because he did do collegiate sports, but he played basketball, so it’s a little bit different for sure.

Sahaana 06:34

You’re definitely setting a great example for the future. So with all of this hard work that you’re doing, I have to ask, do you see yourself pursuing a professional golf career down the road or is college golf sort of like a stepping stone to something else?

Olivia 06:48

So right now my focus is on college golf and I’m really excited to play for Long Beach, but professionally I’ve been thinking about it a lot. I definitely think that playing D1 golf is the perfect stepping stone, but I’m just going to take it day by day. It’s really competitive. So as long as I get better and do my best every day, I’m hoping that I’ll see enough results to hopefully go pro.

Sahaana 07:16

It’s all about putting in that work and letting the opportunities unfold. So now take me through your process. You’ve been working so hard for years and you finally got your commitment to Long Beach locked in, but what were the steps along the way that helped you get there and what made Long Beach State stand out to you as the right choice for continuing your golf career?

Olivia 07:35

Well, it’s been a journey. It’s been a long journey. First step is just learning and learning how to even hit the ball ‘cause you miss it a lot. And then getting into competitive tournaments was a really big game changer because it’s so mental. You need to stay calm under pressure. Developing a solid routine, training with coaches that are just helping me get my game to the next level. And then the big turning point was when I started getting recruited by schools. It was pretty nerve wracking, but I signed to Long Beach knowing that it had a really good community and I was talking to coaches and I really liked their vision for team goals and player goals. So here I am.

Sahaana 08:17

What are some of the biggest strengths of Long Beach’s programs, other than you were saying talking to the coaches and you like their mentality, but what are some of the biggest strengths of Long Beach’s golf program in your opinion?

Olivia 08:30

I’d say they do a really good job with capitalizing each player, because for golf there are certain things that you just can’t learn. It’s the ability to hit the ball far is, no matter how much you train, some people just have something in them that makes them hit up far. And I think our coaches are really good at scouting that kind of thing out or just looking at raw players over just the numbers they shoot. So if you look at most of the people in Long Beach’s program, it’s like you can see that each person is special and they have that kind of instinctual almost greatness, if that makes sense. And it’s something that you can’t just see in a number score. A lot of coaches do look, but I think Long Beach is pretty solid in that aspect. 

Sahaana 09:22

I definitely think it’s really neat that the coaches are able to kind of highlight what those individual qualities are in all their players, but I also think that they’re able to make sure that the team works together as a unit really well too. And I know that Long Beach State won the 2024 Big West Women’s Golf Championship, and winning it often comes with an automatic qualification for the NCAA’s Women’s Golf Championship Tournament, which is the next level of competition. Are you looking forward to competing with such a talented team, and are there any tournaments in specific you want to compete in?

Olivia 09:57

Yeah, so basically how that works is out of all the teams in the Big West, like the Division 1 teams, so winning the Big West championship definitely gives you an opportunity. But in order to actually qualify for the championship tournament, what happens is you need to have a top 50 ranking to automatically go every year. So that’s what the team goal is at the moment. So I’m super excited to be able to play those large scale tournaments because we’re talking Big West is, there’s a lot of UCs in the area that we might know. It’s UCSD, UCI schools like that. So big names and having the honor to compete with them and they all have stacked rosters, so It would be super cool, especially if we win, knowing that we’re that good.

Sahaana 10:55

Right. It sounds like you’ve really got a solid foundation going over there. And now that you’re heading to Long Beach, what are you most excited about in terms of your next steps?

Olivia 11:04

I’m super excited to be part of a team that’s not just talented, but they’re super supportive. I know all of them are pretty positive and optimistic people. I get to learn from the coaches and my teammates and it’s going to be a whole new challenge, but I’m really ready for it and I’m super excited to continue improving and see how far I can go.

Sahaana 11:22

It sounds like you’re definitely ready for that challenge. We’re all rooting for you here. Before we wrap up, what’s one piece of advice you’d give to young golfers who are maybe just starting out or hoping to follow in a similar path?

Olivia 11:35

I think golf is surprisingly way more mental than most people expect because it’s so much of a bigger commitment than even I thought. There were a lot of moments where I had just kind of been shook by. It’s a commitment because it’s just something that takes a long time. You’re alone, you’re at the course all day, and it is kind of draining sometimes because it’s an independent sport and you don’t always have people cheering you on. There’s always setbacks and progress isn’t linear. But I think if you focus on the process, you just really trust it and every single day you’re trying to stay positive and take it step by step. You can’t go wrong. There’s a lot of people that are my age, or younger, that they’re really good, but they don’t get recruited and they just kind of bottom out or they hit burnout just because they’re so negative, their energy is toxic. You could see their parents forcing them into this life. You know what I mean?

Sahaana 12:33

I know there’s a lot of days where you’re really tired or burnt out and you feel like, I can’t do it anymore. I hate it. How do you bounce back from that and what keeps you going in that strong mindset like, no, I need to keep going.

Olivia 12:44

It’s really just step by step and little by little, if you look too far ahead, it seems like really overwhelming. Before I was signed freshman summer, it was really hard for me because I was like, well, I’m not that good and I have to be at this crazy level by the time I get to this age. So it can get really, really overwhelming. And everybody has those days where you just feel like you’re terrible and it’s just bad practice and you just kind of have to accept that. And you can’t get too emotionally tied down about having a bad day. You just got to kind of sleep it off and wake up the next day, have a positive attitude, and just do that process again. Really, really stay positive.

Sahaana 13:25

And on the golf course, when you’re comparing yourself to other people who are better than you or people who are playing golf at the same level, do you feel like it motivates you to be better and you look at that as a source of inspiration? Or would you say keep your head down, don’t focus on what other people are doing? Perfect your own game?

Olivia 13:42

I mean, of course it’s different for everyone and people have their favorite pro players and stuff like that, but I feel like for me, definitely what’s helped is keeping my head down because everybody moves at different paces, especially in golf, and you just really, really have to trust yourself. You trust the process. It’s just such a huge thing in golf, just sticking with it every day, just doing it, and you’re going to see the payoff. It’s not instant, but you just have to be confident you’re going to see it. And golf is pretty serious, the vibe, just watching it on tv, it’s just very serious and slow kind of, you know? But you need to remember, you still got to enjoy it. All of this aside, you just want to keep trying to have fun and just do your best to make it fun for yourself, bringing your friends and stuff, decompressing. But yeah, mental strength overall. I guess that’s my biggest piece of advice. Just having fortitude and strength got this.

Sahaana 14:42

That’s really, really great advice. Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with me today, Liv. I know everyone is going to be so inspired by your story and will be cheering you on at Long Beach, and I can’t wait to see what’s next for you.

Olivia 14:54

Thank you so much for having me. I really, really appreciate it.

Sahaana 14:55

And that’s it for today’s episode of the Pawdcast, Wildcats. Thank you for listening.