Wildfire Evacuation Zone? Don't Panic, Prepare

By Steve Wilent, For The Mountain Times

Local teen Hayden Kolibaba travels around Oregon and Washington for tournaments, spends more than an hour warming up before a round and is ranked No. 4 in Oregon among golfers in the Class of 2030.

And before she tees off, she still gets nervous.

"Surprisingly, for the amount of times I've played, I get really nervous," Hayden said. "It mainly wears off after the first hole."

Sometimes, she said, the nerves are strong enough that she shakes.

The 14-year-old has learned to talk herself through the nerves, settle down, and focus on the next shot. It is part of a game she has been playing since she was 4 or 5 years old and competing in since she was 8.

Golf is already shaping some of Hayden's decisions. This fall, she has been invited to attend Central Catholic High School and play on its golf team.

Hayden hopes the sport can eventually take her to college and, if everything falls into place, beyond.

"I hope to," she said when asked about playing professionally. "Right now I'm just really trying to get to college in golf and hoping I can go on to be a professional."

For now, that means a lot of time on the course.

Hayden and her family travel to eight to 10 major regional tournaments a year, many of them two-day events. A recent tournament took them to Eagle Crest in Redmond, with another trip to Medford already on the schedule.

When possible, the family arrives a day early so Hayden can play a practice round. On tournament day, she allows about an hour and 15 minutes to stretch, warm up her swing and work on her short game and putting before teeing off.

Family friend and frequent golf partner Jimmie Jones has watched Hayden's game develop for about six years and plays with her at least once a week.

What stands out to him is not just her golf swing.

"I think that she has absolute grit, and I think she has the 'it' factor that not many have when it comes to competing at a level in an individual sport," Jimmie said.

Quiet and sometimes shy away from competition, Hayden becomes someone different when there is a challenge in front of her.

Jimmie calls her a "phenom" and believes she is only beginning to develop her natural power.

"She's still super young, so she's learning to harness her ability," he said. "She's so powerful at a young age."

With strong coaching as she gets older, Jimmie believes Hayden's potential is enormous.

"I wouldn't be surprised if we're reading about her in the future and seeing her on TV," he said.

Hayden's development has also been supported close to home.

For about two years, Mount Hood Oregon Resort has provided her with free rounds and access to golf carts, allowing her to spend more time practicing without paying for each round. Her mother, Becca Kolibaba, said the men's and women's golf clubs have also supported Hayden.

"They've been very good to her," Becca said. "They really support the golfers."

Hayden enjoys the social side of the game, too. She participates in Tuesday scrambles, where golfers are divided into teams and play together rather than competing entirely as individuals.

"I have fun because there are just so many people around," she said. "When I'm alone, I'll try and just focus on getting better, but it's really fun to do it with a bunch of other people."

Golf may be the biggest part of Hayden's athletic life, but it isn't the only one. She skis with friends, has played competitive basketball, and participates in school track. She has also taken up photography.

She completed eighth grade at Cedar Ridge Middle School with a 4.0 GPA and lists math as her favorite subject. Before Cedar Ridge, she attended Welches School from kindergarten through fifth grade.

And just in case golf, school and other sports aren't enough to fill her schedule, Hayden recently started her own car detailing business.

"I started a little business of detailing cars to save up some money for this," she said.

A flyer posted on a community Facebook page quickly began bringing in customers.

The business gives Hayden a way to help pay for an increasingly expensive sport while keeping her eyes on the longer-term goal of playing college golf.

For Jimmie, seeing Hayden's determination grow has been nearly as rewarding as watching her golf game develop.

He said those around her sometimes have to remind her that she is still young and does not always have to be so focused on what comes next.

But he plans to keep watching.

In fact, Jimmie has already made her one offer for the future.

"I told her I'd caddie for her if she ever needed a caddie," he said. "For me, it's been a privilege to watch her grow and see her game."