When Nate Olmeda discusses his love of golf, he starts with the usual reasons and then gets down to the nitty-gritty.
“I play golf for the same reason anyone plays any sport or has any hobby—it’s fun,” the Hamilton West junior said. “I enjoy the competition, I enjoy being outside.”
And?
“And I love the feeling you get when you stick an iron shot three feet from the cup,” he said. “I get chills just thinking about it!”
Competition and nature are nice, but when it comes down to it there is no greater joy for golfers like Olmeda than making a great shot. It’s what keeps them coming back.
Olmeda hopes to make quite a few of those shots this year after having a stellar sophomore campaign for the Hornets.
Olmeda earned second-team All-Colonial Valley Conference honors last year, while shooting a solid 41-41-82 in the Mercer County Tournament at Mercer Oaks. He shot in the low 40s (for nine holes) most of last season and broke 40 on several occasions.
This year, he’s looking to lower his score even more.
“My hopes are to do well in all of my matches, place well in this year’s MCT and basically show colleges what I have to bring to the table,” Olmeda said. “My game has steadily improved, and I plan on shooting in the mid to high 30s for most of my matches.
“As much as an accomplishment as it was making second-team last year, I intend to play even better than I did last year and hopefully bump myself up to first-team all CVC. I’m also hoping to be one of the top 20 players in the state by the end of the season.”
Lofty goals indeed, but Olmeda is serious about his golf.
He began playing in fifth grade when his dad, Adan, introduced him to the sport. He was initially reluctant. Like most other Hamilton Township kids, he wanted to swing a baseball bat instead of a club.
“I wasn’t very interested at first because I was in love with playing baseball,” he said. “But I tried it and immediately fell in love with it. I’ve been playing golf for six years now and that initial love for golf I had when I was 10 has not died down even a little bit.”
Olmeda began playing in small Mercer County tournaments, such as the Future Champions Tour at area courses. As his game improved, he expanded his tournament selections. This past year he competed in the Philadelphia branch of the Junior PGA Tour, which included various tournaments in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
At a recent qualifier for the Junior PGA National Championship, Olmeda finished 14th in a field of 50.
“In the summer, I play in a lot of tournaments,” Olmeda said. “The winter practice is what really keeps my game in tip-top shape. The golf simulators at Mercer County Golf Academy have really helped me hone my game throughout the cold winter months when the courses are closed.”
Olmeda has also kept in good physical shape by working with his dad and Notre Dame High strength and conditioning coach John McKenna at the gym. But that is more for endurance than strength, as a good swing is all about mechanics.
Olmeda’s mechanics are solid as witnessed by the torque in his swing—which is the common term for how a golfer’s shoulders and hips turn while taking their swing.
“Physically, I believe the torque in Nate’s swing is a big part of what makes him so successful and makes the ball jump off of his club,” said Mike Papero, who coaches the Hornets along with Jason Malloy.
Olmeda agrees, since he doesn’t have the size to muscle a ball deep.
“Being a little guy, I need to be able to squeeze out every bit of distance I can out of my swing,” he said. “Most players turn their shoulders to about 90 degrees. I have the unique ability to turn my shoulders to about 110 degrees. This is how I am able to get the same distance out of my clubs that the bigger guys my age get out of their clubs.”
Olmeda feels his tee shots are the strength of his game right now, as he usually gets a straight hit with good distance using the driver.
“My game is solid, but has a lot of room for improvement,” he said. “Like many other players, the part of my game I would like to improve the most is my putting. If I can fix some of the flaws in my putting stroke, I will be able to take my game even further than it is now.”
The most important thing in good golf, of course, is in the mind. All athletes need a good mental outlook, but probably none more than golfers, who have time to think after each shot.
“Mentally he is just as strong as he is physically,” Papero said. “He’s never satisfied but he still enjoys the game every swing he takes.
“Nate never lets one shot affect the next, and that’s what makes a great golfer. He likes to have fun but takes the game as seriously as anyone.”
Olmeda said he uses the same outlook on the course as he does walking around town or sitting in a classroom.
“The mental approach that I use in golf is the same that I use in life,” he said. “When I hit a bad shot, I allow myself to get a little upset, but I remind myself that the shot I just hit won’t matter on the next shot. So, I forget about it and move on.
“My optimism gives me an advantage over my competitors. A lot of amateurs my age dwell on bad shots and it greatly affects their game. I don’t allow that to happen. My philosophy when I head out on to the course is ‘When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.’ That should be the mindset of any amateur golfer looking to improve his or her game.”
And how far will that attitude take Olmeda this year?
“Nate, Coach Malloy and I all hope and expect greatness from him,” Papero said. “Being one of the best in the county and state are realistic expectations.
“Nate has shown tremendous poise and confidence over the years. It’s easy to forget he is just a junior. He’s very mature and has been since his freshman year. Over the past three years he has grown more and more focused on his goals.”
And he still gets just as excited when that fairway shot ends up sitting three feet from the cup.
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