Florida State University Athletics
Alice Hodge: The Anatomy of a 66
3/20/2024 12:14:00 PM | Women's Golf
TALLAHASSEE – As the birdies began to pile up and her score continued to go lower in her first round of the Florida State Match-Up on Friday at the Seminole Legacy Golf Course, senior Alice Hodge could feel a special round was happening. A round that only comes around a couple of times each season.
Hodge is one of Florida State's most experienced golfers – one who has led the Seminoles to great heights during her career. She is a member of the first two NCAA Regional Championship teams in school history (2021 at Louisville and 2022 at Tallahassee), has played on three NCAA Championship teams, has helped the Seminoles win nine tournament championships, and led Florida State to the nation's No. 1 ranking during her freshman season.
Hodge has earned nine single-round scores in the 60's including a school-record-tying 65 in the third round of the 2022 NCAA Tallahassee Regional Championship. Her 65 is tied for the course record for a competitive round at the Seminole Legacy.
The senior Finance major couldn't have asked for a better start to the Match Up tournament this past weekend as she birdied her first two holes. After she had played seven holes, she was three strokes under par. She continued to hit greens and watch her putts drop, and after 12 holes she was six strokes under par with six birdies and 12 holes played at par or better. Hodge closed well with a birdie on her next-to-last hole and her near masterpiece of 66 was complete.
"Whenever I start with a few birdies in a row, I get comfortable early," said Hodge, who is one of the top senior golfers in the nation. "I had a hunch it would be a good day just after the fourth hole (my second hole of the day)."
Hodge was about as comfortable as she had been on the course during her senior season during the Match Up. She totaled a team-leading 15 birdies during the 54-hole event, a total that was tied for the third most among the 78 players in the tournament. She was one of nine participants who played the par 4 holes under par and earned the seventh eagle of her Florida State career in the third round.
Hodge finished in a season-best tied for a ninth-place finish in the individual standings, while the Seminoles finished in second place in the team standings in the Florida State Match-Up.
The most important aspect of her round on Friday, according to Hodge, was staying in the moment. It's something that head coach Amy Bond teaches her student-athletes the day they step on campus.
"Signing for a score of 66 is a tremendous round of golf," said Bond. "Alice got her round started by making birdies on the first two holes. She then followed with five more birdies and a lone bogey. It was a round that helped us shoot -10 as a team and gave us a little spark that got us the lead after the first round.
"Her ball striking was really good, and her putter was hot."
Hodge, who says that her putter has always been her favorite club, was both cautious and crafty as she led the Seminoles on the scoreboard on Friday.
"It's not that I was playing any different than I normally do, but I was extra cautious of being present in the moment," said Hodge.
Her most memorable shot of the round came five holes from the clubhouse on a difficult up and down.
"I had a really crafty up and down on hole 14 to keep some momentum going," said Hodge. "I would say that was the most memorable shot of the round for me."
Throughout her round of 66, Hodge couldn't help but think back to her career-best score of 65.
"I definitely was getting thoughts of my 65 and hoping to break that record," said Hodge. "There was a little less pressure on this round because I knew there was plenty of golf left to be played."
Hodge's teammates couldn't help but recognize the importance of her play during the round.
"Not only was Alice's 66 impressive, but it gave all of us motivation to go lower," said sophomore Katherine Cook. "When one of our teammates goes low, it pushes every player on the team to be better and better. Low rounds not only spark confidence but increase the will to keep grinding while we're out there. Knowing that we have the capability to go low consistently is a reminder that we truly can be a powerhouse team."
Hodge, who has played the Seminole Legacy's brilliant Jack Nicklaus design more times than she can count, didn't do anything out of the ordinary in helping Florida State into first place in the team standings after the first 18 holes of play.
"I know the course well enough that I was able to play with ease and just stick to my normal game plan," said Hodge. "It's so easy to get ahead of yourself when you are playing really well. I was just trying to stay as present as I could and focus on the shot at hand."
Hodge is one of Florida State's most experienced golfers – one who has led the Seminoles to great heights during her career. She is a member of the first two NCAA Regional Championship teams in school history (2021 at Louisville and 2022 at Tallahassee), has played on three NCAA Championship teams, has helped the Seminoles win nine tournament championships, and led Florida State to the nation's No. 1 ranking during her freshman season.
Hodge has earned nine single-round scores in the 60's including a school-record-tying 65 in the third round of the 2022 NCAA Tallahassee Regional Championship. Her 65 is tied for the course record for a competitive round at the Seminole Legacy.
The senior Finance major couldn't have asked for a better start to the Match Up tournament this past weekend as she birdied her first two holes. After she had played seven holes, she was three strokes under par. She continued to hit greens and watch her putts drop, and after 12 holes she was six strokes under par with six birdies and 12 holes played at par or better. Hodge closed well with a birdie on her next-to-last hole and her near masterpiece of 66 was complete.
"Whenever I start with a few birdies in a row, I get comfortable early," said Hodge, who is one of the top senior golfers in the nation. "I had a hunch it would be a good day just after the fourth hole (my second hole of the day)."
Hodge was about as comfortable as she had been on the course during her senior season during the Match Up. She totaled a team-leading 15 birdies during the 54-hole event, a total that was tied for the third most among the 78 players in the tournament. She was one of nine participants who played the par 4 holes under par and earned the seventh eagle of her Florida State career in the third round.
Hodge finished in a season-best tied for a ninth-place finish in the individual standings, while the Seminoles finished in second place in the team standings in the Florida State Match-Up.
The most important aspect of her round on Friday, according to Hodge, was staying in the moment. It's something that head coach Amy Bond teaches her student-athletes the day they step on campus.
"Signing for a score of 66 is a tremendous round of golf," said Bond. "Alice got her round started by making birdies on the first two holes. She then followed with five more birdies and a lone bogey. It was a round that helped us shoot -10 as a team and gave us a little spark that got us the lead after the first round.
"Her ball striking was really good, and her putter was hot."
Hodge, who says that her putter has always been her favorite club, was both cautious and crafty as she led the Seminoles on the scoreboard on Friday.
"It's not that I was playing any different than I normally do, but I was extra cautious of being present in the moment," said Hodge.
Her most memorable shot of the round came five holes from the clubhouse on a difficult up and down.
"I had a really crafty up and down on hole 14 to keep some momentum going," said Hodge. "I would say that was the most memorable shot of the round for me."
Throughout her round of 66, Hodge couldn't help but think back to her career-best score of 65.
"I definitely was getting thoughts of my 65 and hoping to break that record," said Hodge. "There was a little less pressure on this round because I knew there was plenty of golf left to be played."
Hodge's teammates couldn't help but recognize the importance of her play during the round.
"Not only was Alice's 66 impressive, but it gave all of us motivation to go lower," said sophomore Katherine Cook. "When one of our teammates goes low, it pushes every player on the team to be better and better. Low rounds not only spark confidence but increase the will to keep grinding while we're out there. Knowing that we have the capability to go low consistently is a reminder that we truly can be a powerhouse team."
Hodge, who has played the Seminole Legacy's brilliant Jack Nicklaus design more times than she can count, didn't do anything out of the ordinary in helping Florida State into first place in the team standings after the first 18 holes of play.
"I know the course well enough that I was able to play with ease and just stick to my normal game plan," said Hodge. "It's so easy to get ahead of yourself when you are playing really well. I was just trying to stay as present as I could and focus on the shot at hand."
Players Mentioned
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