Lockdown hobby turns into college career

First-year Lehigh women’s golfer Reese Hannon is no stranger to trying new things. 

Growing up in the suburbs of New Jersey, Hannon played basketball, soccer and lacrosse until 2020, when much of the world shut down due to Coronavirus pandemic. 

With her newfound free time, she began playing rounds of golf and hitting balls with her mom every day. 

She said both of her parents had played golf, and lockdown gave them the time to teach her the intricacies of the game.  

Hannon quickly fell in love with the sport. 

When she returned to school after lockdown, she made the high school varsity golf team and began competing in individual tournaments. 

Soon, a dream of continuing her golf career in college became a reality. 

When Hannon began looking for colleges with strong engineering programs and golf teams, Lehigh seemed like the obvious choice to her. 

“During my second campus tour, I just felt very at home here,” Hannon said. “I knew I could thrive both academically and athletically on this campus.” 

Hannon attributes a majority of her swift transition to college to her teammates, especially Alana Hall, the only other first-year on the team. 

“We got along super well from the start, and it seems like we are on the same wavelength when it comes to putting in the work on golf,” Hannon said. 

Hall said the best way for Hannon and her to improve their game is to learn from each other’s differences and experiences during rounds. 

“(Hannon) is always so calm, so when she applies her calmness to golf, it works really well,” Hall said. “It’s been super great having another freshman on the team with me, especially someone like her.” 

At the Bucknell Fall Invitational, the team took second place behind Penn. Hannon finished at the top of the Lehigh leaderboard — with birdies on two of her last five holes and a total score of +13 — tied with senior teammate Madison Pineda. 

“The team dynamic helped so much at Bucknell, as the older girls were able to give me tips on bunkers and things to look out for, which I used on the course,” Hannon said.

Hannon credits her steady demeanor to her family dynamic as she grew up with two competitive older brothers, Luke and Jack. 

She said being the youngest in her family means constantly trying to live up to expectations, which can be challenging to navigate. 

Despite these expectations and the mental hurdles that come with playing golf, Hannon said she’s been able to maintain her composure on the course, regardless of performance.  

“When I’m on the golf course and I miss one shot that is not going to change the outcome of my round,” Hannon said. “If I allow it to change my mindset or cloud my judgment on the next shot, then it will definitely have a negative effect on my round.” 

She said remembering that a bad shot is just a bad shot helps her keep her composure and focus on the rest of a tournament, and she said golfers have many chances to prove themself after one bad hole. 

Coach John Manos said whether Hannon makes a good or bad swing, her demeanor stays the same. 

“No moment is too big for her, which makes her such a great asset for the team,” Manos said. 

Hannon said her levelheadedness comes from advice from her parents, who always tell her that who she is isn’t defined by her golf game. 

“This always stays in my head before tournaments,” Hannon said. “A mistake does not define me. I just want to do my best.” 

When she’s not on the green, she said she works to maintain her steady mindset.

To relax from the stressors of the day, Hannon said she tries to meditate every night and also does yoga. She also enjoys listening to ‘80s rock music and watching professional sports games to wind down

For her next four years at Lehigh, Hannon said she hopes to continue pushing for strong results, especially at the upcoming Patriot League Invitational, since her family and friends will have the opportunity to come watch.

Above all, she said she wants to grow as a leader and player and build a strong rapport with her teammates. 

Manos said Hannon is a joy to be around, as she’s always laughing and contributing to team conversation.

“(Hannon) is the ultimate team player, taking every opportunity to challenge herself, and she wants to be better every day,” Manos said.