The Quick Rise of Avery McCrery

1/10 CGC Staff

Delaware native Avery McCrery admits she never really loved the game of golf when she was younger, dabbling in tournaments beginning at age ten. Participating in several sports, she regularly played squash and volleyball in addition to golf. The school she attended had a two-sport requirement, so McCrery learned some valuable lessons from her other sports, specifically finding out that team sports were not in her future after involving herself in volleyball. Although she liked squash, playing competitively taught her that golf was where she was meant to be. It wasn't until the Covid pandemic hit in 2020 that McCrery was able to 'go out and really grind and practice, making me better and self-sufficient as well as helping me realize how much I loved golf,' she explained. 'After Covid, my parents helped me ramp up my tournament schedule, leading to a 3-year progression up through the Peggy Kirk Bell tour, then the AJGA, and into invitationals and amateur events.' Although her main focus during her freshman year of high school was golf, she continued to need to fulfill her school's two sport requirement, and it wasn't until her junior year that she could solely immerse herself in golf. That dedication showed, as the now senior in high school had a banner year in 2024, winning both the Junior PGA Championship and the Scott Robertson Memorial. Although she has reached the top levels of junior golf, Avery wishes she started a year earlier. She notes, 'I believe that because I had to play up through different tours and into events that built me up as a player, it really helped me shape the mental and physical aspects of my game. The only way that it hurt me is that by the time I finally reached the top level of junior golf, I was behind. Most people in my grade had played elevated events at least once before, and I was left unprepared for the level of competition that my fellow peers were already familiar with.' She also wishes she played in amateur events earlier, as she thinks having that experience is important, especially for preparing for college golf.

Sandwiched in between her new-found love for golf during the pandemic and her successful 2024 season was McCrery's commitment to play for Duke University, as she quickly progressed through the junior golf rankings to become a top-15 recruit in her class when recruiting opened up for her class. She committed soon after the June 15th contact period began, verbally committing to the Blue Devils in early June of 2023. She had a solid if not spectacular second half of 2023, with a match play appearance at the US Girls Junior, a 5th place finish at the AJGA Girls Invitational, and 7th at the Dixie Amateur. Enter 2024, and McCrery recorded top-10 finishes at the Sally amateur tournament and the AJGA Fortinet Girls Invitational before etching her name on the Scott Robertson trophy. She followed that win with another top-10 at the AJGA Girls Rolex Junior Championship, then competed well in two Elite Amateur Series events, ending in the top-20 of both the Women's Western Amateur and the North & South Amateur. McCrery ended her summer with the Junior PGA win and closed out 2024 with a 5th place finish at the AJGA Rolex Tournament of Champions and another top-10 at the Dixie Amateur.

Avery gave us some insight into the training routine that has made her into the golfer she is today, saying 'In-season, I will practice at least 5 days a week, most of the time 6 or even 7. I’ll usually do a combination of checking my swing stats, using my Full Swing to keep track of my path and face. I also use video to ensure that I am swinging on plane and hitting my positions correctly.' It seems that we are hearing of more athletes using technology at a younger age. McCrery will then transition to putting to work on her stroke and start line, as well as speed training. She adds, 'I’ve also started to work with aim point, and will do some practice with that as well.' Next, she spends time in the short game area and practice chipping/pitching at her course. 'My routine usually changes in what I specifically do, but it includes some version of doing an up and down game, working on a specific shot, or pitching from 25-80 yards,' McCrery states, adding 'I’ll usually play on the course 2-3 times a week if I’m home all week, playing with the professional staff at my home course. This can be in the form of just going out and playing or playing matches in a better ball format with teams.' McCrery plays from the men’s tees, which helps her prepare for longer courses and improve her short game, which is something she looks to improve. Living in Delaware, practicing in the off season is a bit harder. Avery explains, 'When I go to Florida, I do something similar to what I do at home, but when its the off-season in Delaware, it gets colder, which makes practicing outside very difficult, especially with short game. That means I usually move inside, with most of my time dedicated to putting on matts and making sure my stroke is up to snuff, as well as spending most of my time working on my swing, either in the simulator or hitting bays outside. Even indoors, I focus on my swing techniques, taking videos and hitting with my Full Swing or a similar flight monitor.' Avery does a workout routine as well, with golf related exercises. Most of the routine is centered around weightlifting when she is not playing in tournaments, as she likes to conserve energy when she plays, especially once it gets hot in the summer.'

Avery relates much of the improvement in her game to a shift in her mental game and focus. When she first become involved in high junior level, she focused on rankings, with every event being another chance for her to affect her ranking. She notes, 'I got to a point where I was struggling to get back to basics and just play golf again, and I also started to lose my love for the game. Over time, I’ve learned how to deal with challenges, slowly starting to veer away from being rankings focused to focusing on each shot individually and enjoying my time. Now, I am able to deal with challenges, making sure I don’t get too caught up with my score and keeping focused on the next shot and what is to come. By not becoming trapped in a doom cycle or focusing on everything I have done wrong, I focus on what I can do next time and staying in the present moment.' Avery focuses on enjoying her time on the course, remembering why she likes playing and talking with her friends. Another aspect of the game that has led to Avery's overall improvement has been focusing on her short game. 'I’ve always been a good ball striker, but never that good at putting or short game, hampering my ability to score lower and win. Now as I get better, I notice that I am scoring lower and even starting to win, and that my efforts have truly paid off in both areas,' she elaborates. Combined, both improvements in her short game and her shift in mental focus have helped her reach the highest levels in golf.

McCrery gives some solid advice to aspiring college golfers, the first being 'do your research.' She explains, 'The reason I was able to commit early and come into June 15th prepared is because I had looked at the schools I found interesting and already narrowed my list down. There’s a lot that goes into playing golf for a school beyond athletics, so its important to have an idea of what the school itself is like as well as its program.' Avery knew that she didn’t want to be too far from home or go to a big school, since her high school was so small. By doing research, she narrowed down her list quickly. Avery also found that attending camps was beneficial, in which she could see coaches from schools that she was interested in, or see the schools themselves. She highlights her future school's camp, saying, 'The Duke camp was super beneficial, as I got to stay on campus and really understand what it would be like to live there. Camps give recruits exposure to these coaches in an organic environment, where they can get to know you and you get to know them.' Overall, McCrery would tell any younger player to dream big. 'When I was a freshman, I never thought I’d be recruited to a top 20 program, but now here I am, signed to Duke as a senior. Never give up and always work hard, coaches will see that, and it will help you as well, so never give up she encourages.

All photo credit to @amccrery_golf