Meet Estelle Wong, a rising star on the Ames girls golf team

It was a cold and rainy day during her freshman year when Ames junior Estelle Wong was formally introduced to golf.

She had been having a conversation with freshman classmate Elizabeth Duncan about joining up for a high school sport. Duncan is an avid golfer, so she decided to see if Wong would hit the links with her.

“Estelle and I were in French class, and she said she wanted a spring sport,” said Duncan. “I’d been golfing for a little bit, so I told her to come out. I figured the best way to see how fun the game is, was to go out there, play it and feel the highs and lows. I took her out, and she’s been hooked ever since.”

The conditions outside were not ideal for a first-time golfer when Duncan took Wong out to Veenker Memorial Golf Course in Ames. But that did not deter Wong from getting hooked on the sport.

“It was a cold and rainy day,” said Wong. “She was like, just hit the ball, so I did. Eventually I just came out here every day. I was practicing as much as I could.”

Wong started getting private lessons, and she became even more involved with the sport thanks to the encouragement of Greg Dingel, the golf course manager and PGA professional at Veenker.

During her freshman year, Wong only got in one 18-hole round of varsity play. She shot a 139.

But after practicing over the summer and continuing to work with Dingel, her game made huge strides from her freshman to sophomore year.

As a sophomore Wong shot a 9-hole low of 41 and an 18-hole low of 86. Her average score over 9 holes was 46 and over 18 holes it was 97.

"She took to golf like a duck takes to water," said Ames coach R.J. Voss. "She loves the game and I know she wants to be better. She's out here in the summer, spring and fall and goes through the winter program out here. She putts at her house, so she really doesn't take a day off."

In addition to Dingel and Voss, Wong gave a lot of credit to Duncan and fellow junior Emersen Motl for helping her make such a significant improvement in just one year.

“They inspired me to come out for golf,” Wong said. “I was like why not, it sounds fun. The team inspired me to keep going, and during my freshman year I learned so much from them.”

Both Duncan and Motl were individual state qualifiers as freshmen.

“They’re amazing players,” Wong said. “I looked at them and said what I can do better to be like them.”

More: 10 Ames-area Iowa high school girls golfers to watch ahead of the 2024 season

Wong said she enjoys the team environment but also that golf is an independent sport that requires much dedication.

"You have to focus on what you do, alongside your teammates, to make yourself better," Wong said. "You have to stay dedicated to it. Golf is really hard to keep going. I had a little bit of a rough patch over the summer, but I said it will get better. You can improve so much, and there is not really a limit to improving."

That attitude helped her move up to being the team's third golfer behind Duncan and Motl last season.

"Estelle has done an amazing job," said Motl. "I think it's important to remind yourself that golf is not an important game, and that's why so many people play. Estelle has done a real good job with her mental game, especially being new to the game. Playing high school meets can be really nerve-racking, but I think she did a great job with her mental game and just kept going."

Wong's rise helped the Ames girls qualify for state as a team last season. It was the first time the Little Cyclones qualified since 2010.

More: Ames qualifies state as a team in girls golf for first time since 2010

"Estelle has been a really strong addition in helping get our team scores down," Duncan said. "We saw a lot of improvements with her addition and a lot of people who were already on the team were shaving strokes. I think that's how we were able to make it to state, and hopefully that's how we will be able to make it and place a bit higher this year as well."

Voss is optimistic that with Wong's rise, the addition of Spirit Lake transfer Macy Button, and his returning golfers, Ames can make it back to the Otter Creek Golf Course in Ankeny

"We talked a lot at practice about our team goals and where we see ourselves, and we've settled in on one team, one goal," Voss said. "Everyone has the same definition of one team, but their one goal is all different. I'm looking forward to seeing what they can do.”

Wong said she is glad to have Voss back on the course this season. Voss had to miss most of the meets last season after suffering an infection following leg surgery.

"It's really nice because his humor is back and his attitude is back," Wong said. "It's really nice to see him out here with us and he's really great in keeping us all connected."

Wong would like nothing more than to give Voss another state qualifying team at the end of the season.

"As a team we want to win our conference, we want to place individually and as a team in as many tournaments as we can, and personally, I want to try my best, improve as much as I can and have fun with my teammates," Wong said. "Making it to state is our angle. That would be great to make it back."

Joe Randleman covers high school sports for the Ames Tribune. Contact him at jrandleman@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JoeRandleman

This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: How Estelle Wong became a big weapon for the Ames girls golf team