Athlete of the Week: 10 questions with Molly Tir, New Trier golf

Molly Tir is a senior golfer for the Trevians. She placed second at the regional, shooting a 77, and also medaled in the conference meet.

1. Do you have any on-course rituals or superstitions?

I really believe in speaking what you want into existence. When I’m putting, I tell myself ‘I am going to make this,’ even if it isn’t realistic. If I speak it into existence, I feel there is a higher chance of it happening. My preshot routine isn’t too specific. I just go with whatever works.

2. What do you hope to do next year?

I hope to go into a STEM field and am leaning toward biology or chemical engineering or something like that. See hwere road takes me. I have a lot of non-STEM interests too. I enjoy reading quite a bit, so literature would be great. I’m not super attached to anything. I am hoping to go to college and play (golf) in college. Both of my sisters (Penelope and Audrey) went to college and played for their schools. I’m still in talks and nothing is official yet.

3. What is your earliest memory of golf?

Maybe when I was 4 years old. I was introduced to golf by my sister. My oldest sister started playing when she was 12 and that’s when she first introduced me to it. … My mom would take me with to my two sisters’ games and practice and let me take clubs and play around with them. I’ve been around golf since I was really young.

4. What is your favorite memory on a golf course?

One of favorite memories was I think last year during tryouts, I was playing the second hole and hit my second shot into the hole. I had spent 5 minutes looking for my ball until I went looking on the green. I was out about 130 yards out at Winnetka actually.

5. What is your favorite club in your bag?

My favorite club is my 7 iron. I feel like it’s a very versatile club. The ball doesn’t fly too high or too low, and I hit it very well.

6. If you could try another sport what would it be?

Maybe hockey. My favorite season, ironically, is winter — the only seaosn when you can’t play golf. And I’m actually not very good at ice skating. It just seems so fun running across ice and hitting a puck.

7. What is your favorite thing to do off the course?

Off the course, it’s reading. I really like to read in general. It’s a nice escape that you can do almost anywhere with digital books. … I really like it because of that.

8. If you’re in Walgreens with a couple bucks, what are you buying?

Probably a can of Pringles —last time I went into Walgreens, they had a pickle flavor I want to try — and maybe gum.

9. What is something people don’t know about you?

I can pop my shoulder out, and I have a dog (Percy, half Pomeranian, half huskie) who hates everyone except for my family. He’s pretty anti-social but a great family pet. (The shoulder pop) is quite interesting looking; you can definitely can kind of see the joint moving. It’s a party trick people only like seeing once.

10. What is the key to finishing strong at this point in the season?

Thinking you are going to score low. You have to think your shot counts and what you do matters. Even if you play badly, you have to think your score matters and play the best you can without fail.

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