Carys Fennessy Golfs Her Way to Greatness

As Carys Fennessy approaches the golf ball to hit her next shot, the club in her hand — let’s call it a saber because of the precise damage it’s about to perform — spins as if it’s nervous. It’s part of her pre-shot routine. Then quick as a finger snap, all becomes calm and her golf swing begins.  

A swing that is 10 years in the making. A swing that will carry the 18-year-old from the halls of Dover High School, where she has basically grown up, to the upcoming challenge at College of Charleston. It’s not just the next level of golf she is looking forward to. If you think Carys Fennessy is only about her sport, think again.

Carys Fennessy and her father and coach, Matt Fennessy, discuss the green on the seventh hole during the LPGA’s FM Global Championship at TPC Boston on Aug. 30, 2024, in Norton, Mass.

It’s a typical September lunch block in the dining area at Dover High School, two weeks into another school year. A few students, freshmen, are standing at a side table waiting for ice cream, which is being sold to raise money. Little do these Dover High newbies know that their scooper is the one of the best scholastic golfers in New Hampshire history.

Carys hands the customers their treat, wipes her hands on a cloth and begins serving the next in line. She is president of the Athletic Leadership Council (ALC), the group hosting the fundraiser. Carys is a senior and three weeks removed from playing in an LPGA (Ladies Professional Golf Association) tournament, the highest level of women’s golf. A week after dishing out chocolate chip, she would be teeing it up in another important tournament at Pebble Beach Golf Links in California, arguably America’s greatest public golf course. By the time she graduates, she will have qualified for the prestigious U.S. Junior Amateur Tournament, adding to her athletic resume that junior golfers everywhere would envy.

But on this summer day, she’s all about the ice cream and helping ALC reach its financial goal.

Carys Fennessy’s dad, Matt, also serves as her caddy.

“I like having a say in things and have always had leadership roles,” she said. “I feel I can make change and really want to get things done. It’s about doing the job on a daily basis, whether academics, ALC or golf.”

Peter Driscoll has been the Dover High principal for 10 years; before that, he was a social studies teacher at the school, his alma mater. Sports are a passion for Driscoll. He has seen a lot in his tenure as principal, and was also a New Hampshire high school basketball official.

“What you see from Carys is consistent leadership,” Driscoll said. “She’s not a ‘rah-rah’ person. She has been a four-year vice-president of the Class of 2025, and she accomplishes a lot. I think that translates to golf. Because of that, there is no stage too big for her.”

No playbook exists on how to be a successful parent of a young athlete. But in their first attempt, Matt and Candace Fennessy have written a pretty solid draft.

“I have a lot of respect for Matt,” said Kelli Kostick, Carys’ swing coach, based out of Windham. “He’s a teacher and coach. It’s his job to coach, which is different than most parents. He’s an open and honest parent who understands how the golf scene works.”

Matt Fennessy teaches history at Dover High, the school he graduated from. He coaches golf and boys’ varsity basketball, having been involved with both programs since before Carys was born.

Carys Fennessy competes at the 2024 New Hampshire Women’s Amateur at Rochester Country Club. Photo by/ New Hampshire Golf

“Matt’s done so much,” said his wife, Candace. “He is always learning something about the process. And if he wasn’t a teacher, there is no way we could do all of the summer tournaments.”

When Carys was young, Matt and Candace did what many parents do: put their children in as many activities as possible. The Carys’ list includes gymnastics, dance, art, soccer and swimming.

“The culture now is, parents get the hairy eyeball if they aren’t putting their kids in so many activities,” Candace said. “It’s kind of nuts out there with the pressure to keep up. People are always asking why we aren’t doing this or that activity.”

One of the important mantras of a young athlete’s development is to quickly determine the delicate balance as to who is “driving the bus.” This is a phrase that both older and younger Fennessys use in describing their journey. When Carys was young, she left her first recital and began assuming control of her bus, saying that she was done with dance.

“You have to let the child be the guide and interpret what they are saying,” Matt said. “It’s not my life or my career. It’s Carys’.”

Carys agrees. “It’s very important to have the player making the decisions, not the parent trying to live through the player. Girls’ golf has a stereotype of crazy dads. And it’s true. I’ve seen a lot of girls who start out liking golf but see their parents living through them.”

Kostick has worked with Carys for 10 years. “It’s never been about Matt’s goals. He’s sensitive to what girls and athletes go through, but will call her out when it needs to happen. He’s just honest.”

Carys is clear as to who pushes her. “I’m the one wanting to practice,” she said. “Not my parents. I drive myself to the course.”

The Fennessys have always tried to keep things as normal as possible for Carys, especially as she started succeeding. As she inched toward high school, they had to decide about where Carys would spend her high school years.

The weather in New Hampshire obviously doesn’t allow for year-round play, so Carys would routinely take the winter off from golf, and play basketball. Some New England families have taken the drastic step of moving to the South where temperatures rarely drop below freezing. The goal is to have the young athlete maximize the golf experience, thereby enhancing college and professional opportunities.

“We talked and researched girl golfers who did this,” Matt said. “And there were so many things that they missed from not having a typical high school experience. Worse, some of them ended up getting burned out and dropping the sport. I figured that the worst that can happen is that she goes to a college she wants for school, and tries to walk on to the golf team. If you are good, they will find you.”

Think about that statement. He’s talking about college academics first, golf second, which is where the priority has been since the beginning. At College of Charleston, Carys, a regular member of the honor roll, plans to major in political science and eventually be a lawyer.

“I like how systems and organizations like the government run,” she said. “And like I said, I need to be involved. The academics at college are just as important as golf.”

Carys Fennessy autographs a hat for a young fan after completing the second round of the LPGA’s FM Global Championship at TPC Boston Aug. 30, 2024 in Norton, Mass.

Surprisingly, pro golf isn’t her goal.

“My eyes aren’t set on playing professionally. I can’t get ahead of myself. I am looking forward to establishing a strong academic resume.”

The LPGA Tour is a long and winding trail of 33 events held in 15 U.S. states and 10 countries during a calendar year. Over Labor Day weekend, the traveling show took up shop at the TPC Boston Course in Norton, Mass., 40 miles southwest of Boston. The FM Global Championship would last four days, with 130 golfers playing on Thursday and Friday. If a golfer didn’t make the top 75, they were cut, not playing over the weekend. Most of the entrants were regulars on this grind. These tournaments aren’t open to any player, only the best of the best. But on the Monday prior to each event, there is a qualifier to add two players.

“I wasn’t thinking of qualifying for the FM,” Carys recalled about the start of that whirlwind week. “I thought a lower score would get in, so I didn’t realize I was in front.”

She easily outdistanced 47 other strong golfers from around the country on that Monday, and just like that, the teenage high school senior-to-be from New Hampshire, of all places, would tee off in an LPGA tournament three days later, against the best female golfers in the world.

It’s not a Carys Fennessy profile if “the head injury” is missing from the narrative. In June, 2022, she had finished her freshman year and was looking forward to a full slate of summer tournaments that would build her resume for college recruitment. Before that, there would be some enjoyment at the men’s U.S. Open at The Country Club in Brookline, Mass. 

During Friday’s round, while in the gallery on the fifth hole of the country’s biggest golf event, an errant shot struck her head, knocking her to the ground. The result was a concussion and some brain bleeding. The summer season was washed away and became secondary to the focus on her health.

“It was a hard summer,” Candace said. “She sometimes slurred her speech and couldn’t talk normally for three weeks. Honestly, we weren’t sure if she’d play golf again.”

Carys Fennessy competes at the 2024 New England Junior Amateur at GreatHorse, in Hampden, Mass.

Anyone who has had a concussion knows the symptoms Carys faced, and the physical and mental challenges ahead of her.

“There were some bouts of depression,” Carys recalled. “I’d spend the time going online and looking at leaderboards, especially of events I would have played in.”

She doggedly worked with her medical team, and eventually spent hours with Kostick trying to get her swing back to an elite level.

That August, the New Hampshire Golf Association called and wanted Carys to play in the NH Junior Invitational. The doctor allowed it, but she had to be in a cart instead of walking.

In her first tournament since the injury, she finished sixth, posting two strong rounds of 74 to close out her comeback.

“We are forever grateful to the Wentworth-Douglass team who had the goal to get her back ready for school and golf. It was an emotional moment when she got back playing,” Candace said.

That fall, as a sophomore, Carys won her second individual state championship, an accomplishment made even sweeter, when months prior, there was a chance she wouldn’t golf again, let alone hoist the first-place plaque.

Because of the injury, she stopped playing basketball, focusing solely on golf. She let her brain heal during the winter and got out on the course that spring, preparing for the critical summer between her sophomore and junior years.

“That summer of 2023 was the revenge tour, making up for lost time,” Matt said with a laugh.

Because of the lack of meaningful tournaments in the previous year, by spring of 2023, Carys had fallen out of any sort of rankings, as if she didn’t exist. That didn’t last long. 

She played in big event after big event, showing the golfing world what they had missed the previous summer. Included in this was a victory in the NH Women’s Amateur, a tournament usually won by someone older than 16. Carys won the three-day event by a staggering 15 shots.

That fall, she won her third state title, and made the decision to attend College of Charleston, a South Carolina school that is strong in both academics and women’s golf. This was not a decision made lightly. During the recruiting, Carys was in contact with Lauren Thibodeau from Hampstead, a 2018 Pinkerton Academy grad. Thibodeau was the first New Hampshire golfer to win four state golf championships. She played golf at University of Louisville and is now working for Team Mizuno in Atlanta.

“The main things that I shared with her was my college golf experience and offering to help if she had any questions about the process. I was glad that I had a few people to lean on for advice when I was at that age. I knew that this was a way to help the next generation of New Hampshire golfers. I am very glad for my relationship with Carys and to see the strong young woman she has become.”

Carys made New Hampshire proud with some great golf on Thursday and Friday at the FM, but she was cut after Friday’s second round. She gathered herself over the long weekend, and on Tuesday, she was back at school and the Dover High golf team, a group of mostly boys, including her brother, Des. Many schools don’t have a girl on the team, never mind having a girl at its top player. But at Dover, it’s become the norm for the last four years.

Carys Fennessy is congratulated by her family, friends and fans after completing the second round in the LPGA’s FM Global Championship at TPC Boston on Aug. 30, 2024, in Norton, Mass.

“It was definitely a little weird,” she said about returning to scholastic golf after playing in a pro event. “I got a lot of questions from other high school players and coaches. Even random people in the clubhouses.”

As she has accomplished so much, Carys is no longer the youngster looking up to others. Ready or not, in Shakespearean verbiage, greatness has been thrust upon her. At the FM tournament, a young girl from Rochester drove specifically to see Carys play.

 “She asked me to sign some things for her and told me she was my biggest fan. That was neat,” Carys said.

Addy Churchill is a sophomore at Dover High, and the only other girl on the golf team. Her older sister Leyden is one of Carys’ best friends.

“I’ve known Carys for eight years,” Addy said. “She is so humble and never talks about her golf accomplishments. I probably wouldn’t be playing golf if it wasn’t for Carys. She’s been my biggest role model. With the two of us being the only girls, she’s taught me how to stick up for myself, not only on the team but in general.”

Carys will keep pushing forward, both in golf and in the classroom, and possibly the courtroom.

“You know, I golf for myself, and sometimes don’t realize my impact. Others have called me a celebrity, which I’m not.”

She’s just Carys, being Carys.

For Every Swing…

Whether you’re a mini putt-putt champion-turned-first-time golfer, seasoned pro or aspiring Tiger Woods to-be, the New Hampshire Golf Association (NHGA) offers countless tools and resources for golfers of all levels. 

Based in Concord, their mission is to “foster an inclusive and inspiring community where everyone — no matter their skill level — can experience the true beauty of the sport.” When it comes to playing for fun, their connections to mixed tournaments, parent/child events, corporate outings or even “Drinks on the Links” are the perfect opportunity to build confidence on the green and make connections that will last long after your last swing of the day. 

If you’re interested in being a lifelong learner, take a class to grow in your game, get outfitted in proper gear, or learn your handicap with their app, GHIN. Looking to tee off toward your own Granite State “Masters Green Jacket?” Try your game at one of their flagship events (men, women and juniors included!). 

Regardless of what adventure you take, grab your clubs, hit the fairway and let the NHGA take care of the rest. For more information visit nhga.staging2.weduhosting.com

Local Links Worth the Drive

Ready to trade your usual fairway for something new? Here are a few local courses that are
worth the swing and bring the fun, the challenge and maybe even a birdie or two. 

18 Holes 

Maplewood Golf Club, Bethlehem / maplewoodgolfresort.com

Wentworth by the Sea, Rye / wentworthbytheseacc.com

Wentworth Golf Club, Jackson Village / wentworthgolf.com

Windham Country Club, Windham / windhamcc.com

The Shattuck Golf Club, Jaffrey / shattuckgolf.com

The Oaks , Somersworth / candiaoaks.com

Birch Hill Country Club, Moultonborough / birchhillcc.com

Pembroke Pines Country Club, Pembroke / pembrokepinescc.com

Owl’s Nest Vineyard Country Club, Ashland / owlsnestvineyardcourse.com

Canterbury Woods Country Club, Canterbury / canterburywoodscc.com

9 Holes 

Hoodkroft Country Club, Derry / hoodkroftcc.com

Hidden Creek Country Club, Litchfield / hiddencreeknh.com

Carter Country Club, Lebanon / cartercc.com

Angus Lea Golf Course, Hillsboro / anguslea.com