'A dream come true' as Ping Yang plays for Napa Valley College women's golf team
First photo: Ping Yang of the Napa Valley College women's golf team. (Marty James photo)
Second photo: Ping Yang of the Napa Valley College women's golf team. (Marty James photo)
Third photo: Ping Yang of the Napa Valley College women's golf team. (Marty James photo)
By MARTY JAMES
Ping Yang is not at home all that much since retiring from her job in corporate finance in 2022.
There is a lot that she has going on.
She is a board member of a company and travels a lot.
She joined a book club and does some volunteer work.
She has started playing pickleball.
"Where I live is a great community," said Yang, who makes her home in the Rancho Solano area of Fairfield. "I'm involved. I'm pretty busy. So, life is very fulfilled for me."
There is something else that Yang is doing.
She is a full-time student at Napa Valley College and recently completed her first season on the Storm women's golf team, which plays a fall schedule and is a member of the Big 8 Conference.
"I always want to continue education. Lifelong learning is my goal," said Yang. "I will continue learning. I really enjoy that.
"I'm just so grateful. My life is pretty busy."
Yang had a very busy schedule during the fall – practicing and playing for the Storm and continually working on her game at NVC's home course, Chardonnay Golf Club & Vineyards, in American Canyon. She played in dual matches and Big 8 Conference tournaments. She advanced from the California Community College Athletic Association's Northern California Regional Championships as an individual qualifier and played in the CCCAA State Championships, Nov. 13-14 at Hunter Ranch Golf Course in Paso Robles.
"It's my dream – I have always wanted to play on a college team," said Yang. "I never thought I would have the opportunity. I told Coach (Bob Freschi), I really appreciate that he gave me this opportunity. It's amazing. To me, this is a dream come true."
There is a lot that has gone into Yang joining the Napa Valley women's golf team, starting out when she worked with assistant coach David Knox, a PGA Class A golf professional and the Director of Instruction at Napa Golf Course at Kennedy Park, during the Storm's spring program.
"I have to credit the practices with (Coach Knox) in the spring. He has been a great help," said Yang.
She has gotten a lot of help also from the staff at Rancho Solano Golf Course, where she is a member and started out in the game, in Fairfield.
"I credit Rancho Solano Golf Course, the pros here and the pro shop, for really helping me with my start in golf. They have helped me with my game through the years. They have helped me to really establish my golf game," she said.
Yang began playing golf in 2013, getting out to the course to practice, taking lessons as a beginning golfer and learning more and more about the game.
"I started really playing a little bit more in the last two years, maybe playing two times a week" she said.
Yang learned about the NVC women's team from Makayla Kearney, a former Storm player who transferred to the University of Puget Sound, a private NCAA Division III school in Tacoma, Wash., that is a member of the Northwest Conference. Kearney is on the Puget Sound women's golf team and plays out of Rancho Solano.
Kearney helped the Storm to a third-place finish in the Big 8 Conference, a third-place finish at the California Community College Athletic Association Northern California Regional Championships at Dragonfly Golf Club in Madera, and a fifth-place finish at the CCCAA State Championships at Morro Bay Golf Course in 2022. She was named as the Storm's most inspirational player as a sophomore.
"One day, I talked to Makayla. She was working in the pro shop at Rancho Solano. She told me that she played golf (at NVC). I said I was interested. She gave me Coach (Freschi's) (phone) number," said Yang.
"I wanted to study English literature. I went to Napa Valley College. I really liked the school when I went there."
Freschi said he was not quite sure what direction Yang wanted to go with her golf game when they first met last spring.
"I explained to her this is an intercollegiate class and this is for the women that are going to be playing on our golf team come the fall season. She goes, 'Yeah, that's what I wanted to do.' I'm like, 'OK, let's meet at Chardonnay Golf Club and you will play nine holes with the returning players,' " said Freschi. "I invited her out for the (spring) class during that time."
Freschi said he talked to Yang about the requirements for playing golf at NVC and all that goes into the program.
"Now, let's see if you have the golf game to partake in our season," he said.
The driving range was closed that day, so the only warm-up Freschi was able to see was Yang putting on the practice green.
Yang started out her day with a bogey-5 on the first hole after a solid drive, followed by a shot with a hybrid that she got close to the green.
"At this time, I'm just like, wow, OK, she knows what she's doing," said Freschi.
Yang hit a bump and run shot to reach the green and two-putted for a bogey.
Freschi's reaction after seeing all of this? Yang has the game and can play.
"She knows what she's doing. She's been playing the game for a while. I was impressed by the way she made contact with the ball, and then her demeanor. She had a good knowledge of the game of golf – and that's what I was most impressed about," he pointed out.
"We had a little wait on the second tee box, and I told her, 'Ping, congratulations, you just made our team.' She was so excited and happy. She worked hard in our spring program with Coach Knox."
Yang said she and Freschi talked after her round that day at Chardonnay earlier in the year. She got some very positive feedback from Freschi afterward.
"When we're done, Coach told me, 'You can do this game,' " she recalled.
Due to prior commitments, Yang was not able to play in the Napa Classic, a five-team, nonconference tournament on Aug. 31 at Napa Golf Course, at Kennedy Park, or in a tri-match with Modesto Junior College and Sacramento City College on Sept. 5 at Chardonnay Golf Club & Vineyards.
But she played in all other matches and tournaments.
"I'm just so impressed with the commitment that Napa Valley College has for golf," she said. "It's a time commitment, playing in tournaments and with practice. You need to have time management."
Yang stayed committed to NVC team, attending every practice during the Storm's summer program that Freschi leads.
"She just kept getting better and better," said Freschi.
Yang was born in Beijing, China. She graduated from The State University of New York at Potsdam, in Potsdam, N.Y., with a degree in economics. She got her MBA, with a concentration in finance, from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland
She worked in corporate finance during her career.
Yang went from playing golf a couple of days a week with friends at Rancho Solano to joining NVC, which in addition to the fall season, offers spring and summer programs for its players. The Big 8 Conference, for women's golf, consists of NVC, Modesto Junior College, Reedley College, Sierra College-Rocklin, Sacramento City College, San Joaquin Delta College-Stockton, Fresno City College and Taft College.
"She was a valuable asset of our team," said Freschi. "Without her, we would not have been as solid as we were. Great person, great leader, just a genuine person to be around. I'm very proud of her. Happy to coach her and her being part of our program. She had a great experience.
"The chance to play golf and be on a competitive team and how much fun we have and the good laughs … it's all part of the experience. For her to go through that is just phenomenal. It's just great team camaraderie and she was a big part of it.
"Ping is a fabulous lady."
Yang called it a wonderful experience, playing for NVC and taking classes, including English and biology. She took the Theater Art Academy last summer.
"I felt a little scared when I got into this in the beginning – can I take this commitment on? Can I do this? Because you're going to be walking 18 holes. Physically, can I do this?" she said.
"I just continued to practice and I see myself doing this. This is what I wanted to do in my life right now, so that makes a huge difference.
"It is very challenging, because you've got to get good grades. Right now, my grades are really good. Coach told us, we don't just have to play golf. Academically, we also have to be excellent."
Yang is joined on the NVC team by Mya Brooks, Desiree Berdiago, Jill Obelleiro and Ela Ashley. The Storm played in 10 Big 8 Conference tournaments during the fall season.
"The environment is so enjoyable," said Yang. "We are so lucky to have (Coach Freschi) there. He is always encouraging. Before we play, he tells us what do we need to focus on – stay in the present moment and just focus on the task at hand. That's his philosophy. The process really helped us. He talked about the mental game, that it's very important to stay mentally strong.
"I have the experience this year. Next year, I can take this experience in terms of when you play competitively, how you're managing those situations."
Yang's lowest round of the season was the 85 she shot in the Big 8 Conference's fourth tournament of the season, Sept. 21 at Belmont Country Club in Fresno. It's also a tournament career-low round for Yang.
"I remember it vividly. I wish I played every round like that," she said. "Somehow that day, all of my clubs were working really well, starting with the driver. That day, I feel just this serenity somehow. I just feel that course.
"I was very relaxed, and just everything that day was all together. I didn't even feel pressure. It was just steady."
Yang's other lowest rounds came at:
* Bing Maloney Golf Complex in Sacramento: 88.
* Yolo Fliers Club in Woodland: 89.
* Turlock Golf & Country Club: 91.
* Buena Vista Golf Course in Taft: 91.
* Chardonnay Golf Club & Vineyards: 91.
Yang and two of her teammates, Jill Obelleiro and Ela Ashley, advanced as individuals from the California Community College Athletic Association's Northern California Regional Championships, played at Yolo Fliers Club, Nov. 6-7 in Woodland, to the CCCAA State Championships. They were among the seven individual qualifiers at the two-day, 36-hole event. The top four teams, and seven individuals outside of those teams, advanced to state.
Yang shot 97-101 – 198.
Yang concluded the 2023 season at the California Community College Athletic Association 3C2A Women's Golf State Championships, Nov. 13-14 at Hunter Ranch Golf Course, in Paso Robles. She tied for 55th, shooting 97-105 – 202.
Yang has all intentions of coming back and playing her sophomore season at NVC next fall, said Freschi.
"She wants to come back for another season. So, really looking forward to that. She needs to improve her short game, which she will this coming spring with our spring program. I'm excited for her. Just loves the game of golf," said Freschi.
* Marty James is a freelance writer who makes his home in Napa. He retired on June 4, 2019 after spending 40 years as a sports writer, sports editor and executive sports editor for the Napa Valley Register, a daily newspaper in Napa County. He is a 1979 graduate of Sacramento State and a member of the California Golf Writers & Broadcasters Association. He was inducted into the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Hall of Fame in 2016, the Vintage High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2019, and the Napa High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2022.