Iowa City West's Jordan Amelon reaches fourth straight state golf meet

AMES — Jordan Amelon loves to compete.

The senior has played golf, softball and even tennis during her time at Iowa City West, trying basketball for one short season in junior high.

The list would likely be longer if not for a heart condition that forced Amelon to undergo three surgeries and deal with heart rate that rises quicker than others.

'I really haven't met a sport that I haven't fallen in love with,' said Amelon, who was born with one ventricle in her heart. 'I think when I was younger it was a lot tougher for me. Not being able to play a lot of the sports I wanted to play (and) my friends were playing.

'Not really growing to accept it but I think of it as a blessing now. It has led me into golf. I think without it I wouldn't be the golfer I am or have the perspective on life that I do.'

Amelon will close an accomplished prep career with her fourth trip to the Class 5A state golf meet Tuesday and Wednesday at Coldwater Links. Amelon is ninth in her class with an 80.60 18-hole average and looks to improve her 16th-place finish her last season.

'I'm very excited,' said Amelon, setting her goals on a top-10 finish and to contend for a title. 'No matter how many times you're at state it's always a cool experience and a cool thing to do. It's cool to be able to go every year of your high school career.'

Softball was her main athletic passion before it was surpassed by golf. She was about 7 when she began hitting golf balls at her grandparents' rural home.

'They had an area where you could just hit into a cornfield. Then, you'd have to go pick up the balls,' Amelon said with a laugh. 'I think that's how I first started.

'I'd definitely say my love for it has grown, though.'

Amelon developed a competitive fire early. She transformed the simplest activity into a heat competition in her own head. Amelon doesn't know any other way.

'I've always been that competitive,' Amelon said. 'It's in everything I do. When I was a little kid, I'd try to beat my dad in walking, trying to walk faster than him. It was just silly stuff like that.'

The spirit has served her well on the golf course. She earned medalist honors at the CRANDIC, Mississippi Valley Conference Super Meet and the final round of the MVC Mississippi Division. She was named MVC Mississippi Athlete of the Year in golf.

The edge accompanies a strong faith in her ability.

'She is a competitor,' West Coach Mary Goodfellow said. 'The thing that goes with that a lot of kids don't have is confidence. When she steps up to the ball, she thinks it's going to go perfect. You really need that in golf.'

Amelon may have a bit of stubbornness mixed in those traits and toughness. Goodfellow said the IGHSAU has approved her use of a motorized cart due to her heart condition. Amelon has used it in the past. Rather, Goodfellow has forced her to use it on a couple rare occasions, including the state meet her freshman year.

'I don't want anything anyone could perceive as an advantage, even though it's not and is perfectly legal,' Amelon said. 'I'd rather beat people with a disadvantage than having people perceive it as an advantage.'

Amelon said her parents, Ron and Chris, never treated her differently than her younger brother. Goodfellow said they allowed her to try activities as long as she was honest about how she felt. The family monitors the situation so well it has not been a concern to Goodfellow.

'I forget she even has a heart condition,' Goodfellow said. 'Most people don't even know it on the golf circuit.'

Amelon said she can do about half of what other people can do and activities like distance running are hard. She said she has never been hindered by her heart condition during a round. Improved play has made things easier on the course.

'Honestly, the biggest thing for me is that getting better has helped,' Amelon said. 'So, instead of chunking the ball toward the green and getting the ball on the green and there is a hill, you can leave your clubs at the top of the hill and just bring your putter to the bottom of the hill. Little stuff like that helps.'

She has made strides in multiple parts in her game. Goodfellow said Amelon is a student of the game, becoming a more technical player that has learned about club speed and angles. She is now 20 to 30 yards longer off the tee and gets up-and-down regularly.

'She's revamped her whole swing,' Goodfellow said. 'She hits it farther now. That distance has been good for her.

'She's really worked hard on her short game. She gets it up and around the green every single time.'

Regardless of how the state tournament ends, Amelon's career will continue. She will play for St. Catherine University (Minn.) next year. Her play, work ethic and heart will serve her well at the next level.

'She's going to have so much fun in college competing,' Goodfellow said. 'She picked a great school. She's going to have a ball. She's going to love it.'

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