(October 19, 2022) – This year the Connecticut State Golf Association welcomed three USGA P.J. Boatwright Interns. We talked to each of them about their experiences during their internship and about how the internship will help them in the future.
Our second conversation was with Leslie Li. Currently, Li is a sophomore on the University of Hartford women’s golf team. In addition to her work as a CSGA intern, Li also had a successful summer on the course winning the 103rd Connecticut Women’s Golf Association Championship and competing in both the Connecticut Women’s Open and Connecticut Women’s Amateur.
We had a chance to talk with Li about her experiences shortly before she completed her internship.
CSGA: You are a student at the University of Hartford. What are you majoring in?
Leslie: Li: I am a double major in Finance and Business Analytics and Managerial Economics.
CSGA: What led you to the CSGA internship?
LL: I met one of the previous P.J. Boatwright Interns last year and I was very interested in applying in the future, then a couple of months after I saw a post on Instagram that the CSGA was looking for interns, so I thought it was an amazing opportunity and such a coincidence.
I thought it would be perfect for me to learn about the behind the scenes of a golf tournament because I have been playing in golf tournaments for years.
CSGA: You have been playing tournament golf for a long time. What is it like to work on the other side?
LL: I think it is very different than anything I’ve experienced with golf, and I have learned so many things. But playing in tournaments has helped me with working on the other side because I know what it is like to play in a tournament and how players feel while playing in a golf tournament. So, I love how I can use both experiences simultaneously to better the task that I am doing.
CSGA: What are your career goals?
LL: I do not have very specific career goals because I declared my major very recently, but I want to do something that I love while being good at what I do.
CSGA: How will this internship help you achieve your career goals?
LL: This internship has helped me achieve my career goals by allowing me to experience a professional workplace and learn new skills, along with networking and problem-solving.
CSGA: What did you learn during the internship?
LL: I have learned how to network with people and get out of my comfort zone when it comes to meeting new people. I have always been shy, nervous, and stressed out when I meet new people, but this internship has helped me with getting more comfortable. I also learned some other skills like marking hole locations, printing copies, making banners, putting up tents, and other important tournament fundamentals.
CSGA: You play on the University of Hartford golf team. What role has golf played in your life?
LL: Golf has been a big part of my life since middle school. People would say that I started kind of late for student-athletes playing at a collegiate level, but it quickly became one of the most important things in my life. My dad was the one who got me into golf because my sisters were in high school and college at that time and said that they did not have time to play golf for two hours a day for fun.
I had just finished sixth grade and did not have much to do, so I said that I would try to play golf for the first time. Ever since, I have practiced daily in the summer, played in tournaments, joined golf teams, learned different aspects of the golf game, and made new friends through playing golf.
CSGA: Back to the internship what did you enjoy most about the internship?
LL: I enjoyed meeting new people and seeing people that I haven’t seen in years. I enjoyed that the most because golf is what brings a lot of people together. Being around golf also makes me happy so I am so grateful that I was able to have this internship this summer.
CSGA: Away from school and work what are some of your hobbies?
LL: Some of my hobbies, besides golf, are scrapbooking, reading, painting, and baking.
CSGA: Finally what is your best golf moment?
LL: My best golf moment would have to be my senior day for varsity golf at Miss Porter’s School because my team surprised me by decorating the van that we take to practice with light-up balloons, streamers, posters, candy, and my name duct taped on the side of the van. I was so shocked, and it made me realize how much I loved my team and how much they loved me. I was the only senior and captain for my senior year, but I wouldn’t have had it any other way.
Read: Q&A with 2022 P.J. Boatwright Intern Luke Yaroscak
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.
