San Benito High senior Trinity Mumm was first introduced to the sport of golf at an early age. But it wasn’t until the last couple of years when Mumm’s passion for the sport took a quantum leap forward. Not coincidentally, her game has taken off as well. The extra commitment and time Mumm has spent on the range and the course has paid off as she is having a strong final year of high school golf. Along with fellow senior Taryn Mills, the two have been steady and reliable atop the team’s lineup this season.
“I feel like I’ve grown as a player since last season because I’ve been more consistent with my scores,” Mumm said. “I went into this year trying to get my scores consistently in the low 40s and trying to break 42, which I was able to do a couple of weeks ago. That was really awesome.”
Mumm achieved her best 9-hole round of her career on the back nine of the Helen Lengfield Memorial Tournament at Poplar Creek Golf Course in San Mateo in late September. She finished with an excellent 8-over par 80, but shot a 38 on the back nine, a personal best. Along with Mumm and Mills, who shot a 95, Kayla Ferry shot 104, Emilie Sarringhaus and Brianna Mulcahy shot 107, and Yosy Rodriguez finished at 108.
Mumm was using a new driver for the first time at the tournament, and it just so happened that she drove the ball about as well as she’s ever had that day. She consistently hit her drives in the fairway, setting up for a nice round.
“The course was flat, open and there were very few places to lose your ball or get penalties,” she said. “I also had some really nice playing partners, probably one of the nicest group of players I’ve ever played with. That helped with the mental game, just being able to have a lot of fun.”
On the back nine, Mumm produced four birdies, which she attributed to her drives and putting.
“My putting was better than it normally was that day, and everything went smooth,” she said.
Mumm credits her personal coach, Nofiu Akano, for helping her with her physical and mental game. Akano’s positivity has rubbed off on Mumm, whose form has improved under Akano. Mumm is spending her weekends on the course, cognizant of the fact she needs to improve if she wants to her reach her goal of playing at the four-year level.
“I’m making the most of my time playing on the weekends,” she said. “I make sure I’m not super hard on myself or negative when I’m playing because bad rounds come and go, and I just have to focus on what’s ahead.”
Mumm and Mills are the only two players on the team who have been a part of the program for the last four years, and both players should take a tremendous amount of pride in that. Mumm credits her parents and grandparents—especially her grandfather—for playing with her frequently over the years. On most Mondays during the summer, the two played 18 holes, which kept Mumm sharp upon entering her senior season. Along with improved physical skills, Mumm feels like her mental game has become stronger.
“I’m making sure to stay more focused and making sure to take my time on each shot,” she said. “That has allowed me to be more consistent as well as keeping an eye out for my teammates and trying to help the team as well.”
Mumm, who has a 3.9 GPA and is a part of the school’s ASB leadership class, is heavily involved with the team’s fundraising and in charge of the team’s social media account. Mumm said the team did so well with fundraising last year that they could focus more on the game this season as they had leftover funds accumulated from 2018. The funds go to pay for medals and uniforms, among other things.
“Whatever it is, I want to help,” she said. “That’s what being a team is all about—helping each other to get the most out of our potential.”
The Balers played perhaps their best match of the season in a loss to Carmel on Sept. 17. They shot 247, with three players—Mumm, Mills and Kayla Ferry—shooting in the 40s. Sarringhuas shot a 54 and Brianna Mulcahy a 56 to round out the team’s top scores.
