Grouwinkel Eager to Return to Practice

Jan. 25, 2013

IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa junior golfer Karly Grouwinkel, a Chicago-land native, spent the majority of her winter break in the cold and icy Windy City. That didn’t stop her from improving her golf game.

Grouwinkel traveled almost daily to an indoor golf dome to fine-tune her skills. She worked on all facets of her game, but spent most of her break tweaking her shots around the green.

“I mainly focused on improving my short game,” Grouwinkel said. “I really worked hard on shots from about 100 yards out and in.”

When it comes to looking forward to the spring semester, Grouwinkel said that warmer weather is at the top of her list.

“Nicer weather will make things easier to get out and play,” Grouwinkel said. “Also, I haven’t seen any of my teammates in a while, so it will be nice getting back into a routine of class and practice.”

Individually, Grouwinkel hopes to earn a spot in the lineup for the Big Ten Championships again at the end of the spring schedule.

“I think we can place high at the Big Ten Championships this year,” Grouwinkel said. “We are a stronger team and everyone is more driven this year.

“Both coach Menzel and Cilek bring a positive energy to the team,” Grouwinkel said. “They have really taught everyone to have a much more positive outlook while on the course.”

Grouwinkel and her teammates returned to practice earlier this week in preparation for their first tournament, the Hurricane Invitational, held in Miami Feb. 4-5.