YOU can learn a lot from first experiences and it is something Warrnambool golfer Olivia Porter can attest to.
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The 12-year-old believes she will enter her next big tournament with more confidence following her eye-opening experience at the School Sport State titles at Kooringal last year.
"I was rated 16 out of 24 girls. It was really hard because all of them had coaches, proper devices and their parents and coaches told them exactly what do to," she said.
"I was really shocked. I thought it was just me doing it myself and I didn't need a coach or my parents to tell me where to hit, what club to hit and how hard to hit it. I just played my own game.
"But I was really worried when I saw all of them. They were very advanced with their skills and technology.
"It (the experience) will help. I have got way better, got new clubs and I'll know what I am up against."
The St Joseph's Primary School student, who started playing when she was four, is excited about playing in the Victorian Junior Country Regionals in Ballarat from December 4 to 6.
Listen to this week's episode of The Main Break with Athletics coach Jeremy Dixon.
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Porter is full of confidence after taking out the opening week of Warrnambool Golf Club's twilight nine-hole challenge, playing alongside Eli McLeod and Blake Heffernan, and is eager to continue her good form for the rest of the competition.
The Warrnambool Golf Club member has been working hard on improving.
"(I have been working on) my putting and chipping. I've been working with (coach) Jack (Redford) and he has been helping me with my chipping," she said.
"I also go down for the training with the little kids. I go down there some other nights to practice with mum (Andrea Lowson) or dad (Chris) and every second week I have my one-on-one session with Jack.
"He is really nice and gives me good tips."
Porter has also improved her driving power during lockdown with trips to Warrnambool Golf Range.
"I haven't been for a while but it was good because it had the metre boards for how long you hit and I kept going better than that each time," she said.
"I got some new clubs and a new driver and I can hit way further now. I have been hitting way better since then."
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