“The team hadn’t won in twenty years. We were able to break that long streak. It felt really good knowing that I contributed to that,” girls’ varsity golf captain Katherine Lim said.

The senior, a four-year varsity athlete, joined the golf team with a hunger for success. At the Marin County Athletic League (MCAL) championship her freshman year in 2022, the team exited with the first win Redwood girls’ golf had seen for two decades. They then proceeded to win MCAL again last year, as Lim received her second-straight first team all-league award, and they are tracking another with a current 7-1 record.

 For Lim, golf has been a constant for the past decade. With the sport passed down through generations of her family, Lim began playing at the age of seven.

“My grandmother was a golfer, and she started playing professionally when she was in her 40s,” Lim said. “When I was younger, my mom and I would visit my grandmother, and she would always be playing golf. That’s how I got into it.”

About three years later, Lim began playing in tournaments. She competed in numerous U.S. Kids Golf tournaments, as well as the Drive, Chip & Putt, a regional competition. At a young age, the pressure became overwhelming.

“I was very frustrated with golf. I wanted to quit golf when I was around 10 years old, because I just couldn’t take it,” Lim said. “When I was younger, it was hard not to just think about my bad golf shots or compare myself to other people. I didn’t really start [loving] golf until I joined the Redwood golf team.”

It wasn’t until Lim’s junior year, her third year on the team, that girls’ varsity golf head coach Zach Borello stepped into the position. In the short time knowing Lim, Borello has been impressed by, along with her natural talents, her steady approach that sets an example for the rest of the team.

“She’s an amazing golfer. I mean, she shot one over par yesterday, but she also does it in such a carefree way. She doesn’t look like she’s stressing out,” Borello said. “I’ve been a coach for almost 15 years, and her approach to [golf] is just very easy going. It’s refreshing to see it for sure.”

During 9-hole rounds this season, Lim has averaged 37.3 strokes over eight matches, with a low round of 31.

With five seniors graduating from the team last year, Lim has emerged as not only the captain, but also a role model. Borello has seen growth in a brief period of time as the new captain. After the girls’ first loss of the season to Branson on Sept. 24, Lim uplifted the team with a speech.

“After the match, it was really inspirational — she rallied a group of girls that weren’t feeling all that good about themselves because they just lost the match, and motivated them to want to go to the range right then and hit some more golf balls,” Borello said.

Borello notes that her initiatives can be like having an assistant coach. During practices, Lim is constantly looking out for her teammates, dedicating her extra time to helping with anything from golf swing advice to mental focus. Mentality is crucial to a successful golfer, which can be a tricky ability to perfect.

“[Golf is] more of a mental thing than anything else. It can be a very mind-consuming game. It’s a different sport —you hit a shot and you have two or three minutes to think about it. Rather than in basketball, if you miss a shot, you run back on defense,” Borello said.

Borello, in his short tenure at Redwood, has implemented this focus on a mental approach to the sport.

“I learned this a long time ago: You’re not playing against your competitor, you’re playing against the golf course,” Borello said.

This mantra stuck with Lim. This idea has changed her view on the game, contributing to her success and her ability to maintain good sportsmanship and lead so effortlessly.

“The key is to have that mentality: The course is your opponent,” Lim said. “Everybody is going through the same thing, thinking about how good our shots are. Nobody’s thinking,  ‘Oh, she’s doing so much better than me.’” 

While Lim’s mental clarity is important for her to persevere, her success is rooted in her determination for excellence.

“I always want to do better, to improve my game, to shoot a lower score. That desire to always want to be a better version of myself has driven me through the years of my golf path,” Lim said.

Lim also credits a lot of her success to her teammates. Joining the team, she immediately recognized the encouragement from others.

“Our team is so supportive. Even if we don’t play well one day, or somebody doesn’t shoot well during a game, our ability to just be that safe spot for each other is the reason why I love golf so much,” Lim said. “I’m so thankful for all my teammates. The golf team has just been such an important part of my life and the main reason why I love to play.”

Moving forward, Lim does not plan to play golf at the collegiate level, but has aspirations to always keep the sport in her life. Her talent and credentials are outstanding, as is her graceful leadership and guidance. Her influence on her teammates is admirable, as she finishes her final year as a Redwood golfer. 

“She’s one of the best golfers to come through Redwood in years,” Borello said. “Her recognition is definitely deserved.”