When N.C. State reinstated its women’s golf program in the spring of 2001, the Wolfpack called on former UNC-Chapel Hill standout Page Marsh to take the helm. Ever since the team’s first season under Marsh, the program has reached new heights in the form of 12 NCAA Regional appearances and NCSU’s first two showings at the NCAA Championships. This past season, Marsh and the Wolfpack women earned a 10th-place finish at Nationals, the best result in school history.
From a young age, Marsh was exposed to the game of golf through her family. Marsh’s mother worked with amateur golf committees, and both of her sisters played competitively.
Marsh’s family has always had an affinity for golf, which she has passed down to her own daughters.
“I love the game, and I love competitive golf,” Marsh said. “I always stress to my daughters to find something that they feel passionate about. Passion leads to happiness.”
After a strong high school career, Marsh took her talents to Chapel Hill to become a four-year starter for the Tar Heels. A native of Jamestown, N.C., Marsh said she was happy with where she landed for her college career.
“I was very fortunate to earn a degree and to play in the ACC and to play within my state,” Marsh said.
Marsh had a very decorated career as a Tar Heel. In her four-year tenure with the team, Marsh recorded 15 top-10 finishes, including three individual tournament victories, and earned all-ACC honors during her junior and senior years.
However, Marsh’s college career didn’t start off as she had hoped; the Jamestown native failed to qualify for her first tournament. Instead of letting her early failure derail her entire career, Marsh continued to work hard and persevere.
“My career did not start the way I desired,” Marsh said. “But every year, I tried to give the best that I could; I was brought up that way. I always remind my players, if you work hard and you give what you can, success is a byproduct.”
Despite her time at that bue college down the road, Marsh said when she was offered the head coaching job at N.C. State, she was eager to accept the opportunity.
“To have the opportunity to restart the program at State within the ACC and for N.C. State to give me that opportunity was much appreciated,” Marsh said. “Players that were there in the early ‘80s were my peers and friends. For other female golfers to not have that opportunity, it was a sad day. It was a real privilege for me to carry forward again and honor the memory of those players from the early ‘80s.”
Prior to taking the job as the head coach of the Wolfpack, Marsh enjoyed a long and successful career as an amateur golfer. The Carolina grad is a six-time North Carolina Women’s Amateur Champion and was named as one of the 10 best amateur players in the nation on two occasions by Golf Digest.
Looking back on her career, however, Marsh says her fondest memory was when she took to the course with her dad by her side.
“He caddied for me when I won the North and South on [Pinehurst] No.2; all my family was there,” Marsh said. “It’s my favorite golf course in the world, and to have a major amateur event in your home state and to get to win it with your family there, that’s just really special.”
Shortly after accepting the head coaching job at N.C. State, Marsh was inducted into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame for her achievements during her college and amateur careers. Having lived in North Carolina for nearly all of her life, Marsh said the mention was a true honor.
“I pinch myself every time that I think back to those moments,” Marsh said. “It was a really special night.”
Marsh said although her award was nice, she had to give thanks to all the women who had come before her.
“I followed in the footsteps of all the pioneers of women’s sports, so it was easier for me than it was for them,” Marsh said. “It makes you really think about things, like how many people it took for me to be where I was at that moment.”
During her first season at State, Marsh’s squad failed to qualify for the Regional Championships. But in the following 13 years, the Pack advanced to the first round of the NCAA Championships 12 times and to the National stage twice.
Marsh said the key to her team’s continued success is the great student-athletes she has been able to work with.
“It’s all about the players you have around you,” Marsh said. “Their passion to reach the goals is unmatched, and I feel like our goal is always to give our very best on each day.”
Under Marsh, the State women’s golf program has continued to achieve new heights. In 2012, the program made the NCAA Championships for the first time in school history. That year, the team set a multitude of records, including best three-day team score (858), most team wins (three) and highest national ranking (No. 13).
However in 2011, the team broke its nine-year streak of Regional appearances after finishing seventh in the ACC. Marsh said she encourages her players to continue to look forward and to not dwell on what happened in the past.
“I stress often that you can’t let any moment define you. You have to learn from it and then move forward,” Marsh said. “As a player, I always said that my score did not define me, whether it was a low one or a high one. It’s all about what you’re doing the next day. How are you moving forward and being dynamic? How you handle the disappointment, that’s what defines you.”
The Pack showed its perseverance once again in its 2014 campaign. In the previous year, the team had missed a berth to the National Championship by just one stroke. State followed up on its shortcoming by earning its best ever finish at Nationals in the following season.
Marsh said that although she was looking forward to getting back on the course next season, she would not look ahead to make predictions.
“I’m very much a golfer; I take things one hole at a time,” Marsh said. “You can’t look ahead. You can only hope that your players take advantage of a strong dynamic plan that will put them in the position to play well. Sports are simple; you can still not have a good day doing all the right things. But you definitely up your odds if you have a strong action plan, you have a better chance to succeed more days than not.”
