A look at a Mount Ayr golf phenom
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By Jeff Snyder
MOUNT AYR, Iowa — Hard work and perseverance are qualities shared by many successful people. The ability to capitalize on a God given talent and gift is not always a guarantee for future success. Some excel in academics, others go down this path via athletics, and then there is Jaylee Shaffer.
Shaffer is a National Honor Society student who also happens to be one of the most talented golfers to come along in Mount Ayr, maybe ever. Jaylee is a junior at Mount Ayr Community Schools and has already amassed a life time of achievements. She has won the Iowa PGA Junior Player of the Year three years in a row, an Iowa State High School Championship as well as a state runner-up along with many other accolades. The numerous titles and medals along the way which seem to provide fuel for the next levels. Her success on the course has been well documented throughout her rise to excellence. What is not so obvious perhaps is the humility by which she has attained such heights. She was quick to point out the importance of team and teammates in her quest for balance and explained how these relationship are vital to her continued success.
When asked where she sees golf taking her she doesn’t hesitate in stating one of her clear objective.
“I would like to play professional golf,” she said.
Simple, direct and to the point, clarifies her passion and dedication to what many who have played the game would agree, is one of the most difficult individual sports to master.
She has the humility to sustain her meteoric rise, yet never second guesses her desire to improve. She was asked who her golf idol was and she quickly responded with Scottie Scheffler. The interesting thing about her choice in a golf hero was that although she chose the world’s No. 1 ranked professional men’s player, her reasoning had nothing to do with his standings.
“Yeah, I like his values and beliefs and the reasons he plays,” she said.
Scheffler is well known for his calm demeanor and dedication to faith and family over the obvious fame and fortune he has amassed. He has an authentic relatable personality that seems to sit well with his fans and non fans alike, according to those in the know. These personality traits are also what encouraged Jaylee to gravitate to him as someone to look up to along with his 140 weeks atop the world rankings.
Golf has taught the current Raiderette many lessons, but the biggest may be humility.
“I feel like if I get into trouble on the course I am better able to mentally adjust and get over that,” she said. “That’s huge. You can’t let a bad round get to you.”
Kelly Shaffer, Jaylee’s mother, also happens to be her golf coach, offered this about Jaylee.
“I’m really proud of her,” Kelly said. “I mean golf is a very easy sport to get frustrated with, and she keeps at it even though you’re always going to have difficult holes or rounds or a bad day. She still keeps staying positive and coming back. So I think that’ll take her a long way in life.”
Although her specific plans for the immediate future were not discussed in detail, it was fairly clear that she would like to stay in the state of Iowa to pursue her college career.
