(November 21, 2025) – Connecticut’s Estela Morales Segarra has been named the LPGA 2025 Northeast Junior Leader of the Year.
Morales Segarra has spent countless hours working to grow the game. At Goodwin Park Golf Course, in collaboration with LPGA*USGA Girls Golf and First Tee Connecticut, she has introduced countless girls to golf—most of them Latinas—since 2023. Through the LPGA’s 5 Es learning framework (Engage, Enrich, Empower, Energize, and Exercise), Morales Segarra helps them develop their skills, confidence, and full potential.
With the First Tee Connecticut, Morales Segarra has brought the game to teenagers in second-chance programs, encouraging them to build respect, responsibility, self-confidence, and sportsmanship.
At Keney Park Golf Course, supported by the Connecticut PGA Section, Morales Segarra established the AmiGolf Academy with Active City to introduce golf to children ages 5–13 and to teenagers, building a vibrant and active community of young golfers—most of them Hartford residents. As their interest grows, many transition to LPGA*USGA Girls Golf program at Goodwin GC or to the PGA Jr. League “Amigos Team” at Keney Park GC.
Also, at Keney Park GC with support from the Connecticut PGA Section, Morales Segarra has coached the Proud Veteran Women since 2023 and also women from the Windsor area in collaboration with Windsor Adult Education.
This year, Morales Segarra had the opportunity to coach middle-school students from Montessori West Hartford at Stingers Indoor Golf. Additionally, she provided indoor simulator training for her Goodwin GC and Keney GC students, many of whom were experiencing this type of golf practice for the first time.
Over the summer, Morales Segarra collaborated with the Hartford Sports and Recreation Department to introduce golf to children and teenagers in community centers across the city—again, for many, their first time trying the sport.
Additionally, Morales Segarra is the co-founder of the CT Latinas Golf Team, where she has coached and mentored women since 2018. Morales Segarra has also served as one of the professional instructors for the Travelers She Golfs Program, and this year she introduced golf to additional women’s groups, including The Venus Society, Connecticut Council of Women, Connecticut Health Care, and Hartford Public Schools—through partnerships at Goodwin Park GC with Connecticut First Tee Chief Executive Officer Mark Moriarty.
Meanwhile, at Golf Lounge 18, Morales Segarra provided one-on-one coaching and led special events, including the annual Women’s History Month celebration in March. Morales Segarra also served as the instructor for Women’s Golf Day in June.
If Morales Segarra wasn’t busy enough on the course, in 2025, she published her first book, titled Christian The Ball Picker. The book was inspired by her father, who introduced her to the game in Mexico, her son, and students. The book is available at the Hartford Public Library or on Amazon by clicking the link above.
Editor’s Note: Information for this article has been provided by Estela Morales Segarra and edited by the CSGA.
About the Connecticut State Golf Association
The Connecticut State Golf Association functions as an extension of the USGA and provides stewardship for amateur golf in Connecticut. Founded in 1899, it is the country’s oldest state golf association and conducts over 60 Championships, Qualifiers, and One Day Tournaments throughout the year.
