VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Amber Mackiewicz has come a long way from playing with plastic clubs on the golf course where her grandpa used to work. She learned early on that golf is a sport that no doubt requires you to have a short memory and the Bayside standout is very familiar with the concept.
“When I would hit a bad shot or if I had a bad hole I kind of just let it go and I was able to realize like, ‘hey its only one shot,’” said the rising senior.
Her physical game isn’t too bad either. After all, she’s turned the Marlins program into a golf powerhouse.
“We beat Kellam my sophomore year and that point I think was when the people on my team and Coach Eakes realized that we are a lot bigger than what people say we are.”
“People come to the match; they hear about her. We go to any course in the city, and everybody knows who she is,” said Head Coach Healey Eakes who is entering her 10th season at Bayside. "She made a difference as soon as she walked in the door.”
The turning point in Amber's career came after her performance in the 2020 VSGA girls' junior championship giving her a massive boost of confidence.
“I ended up shooting 65 and was tied for the lead with two division I commits, and I was 14 or 15 at the time.”
And she didn’t stop there. This summer, she reached the VSGA Women’s Amateur semifinals, and she’s established herself among the best of the boy's competition as well. In 2021 Amber took the Class 5 state individual championship in 2021, in a field of primarily boys.
“I think of it more as a motivation point and I’m like, ‘Ok these guys are outdriving me by like a mile it felt like, but it still felt like I could make a put and that shot that went 20 yards further than me didn’t matter.”
She’ll continue her career at James Madison next year but until then she’s still got some things on her agenda and with an impeccable work ethic, no doubt she’ll achieve them.
“She’s the first one to practice, the last one to leave. If we finish 18 holes, she’s going to another course to play another 9,” said Coach Eakes.
“Girls states and regionals- regionals is a big thing for me and then girls' states. I’ve always been just short and I’m hoping this year I can make a little bit more noise.”