Linn-Mar’s Morgan Rupp focused on offseason strength to gain length on the golf course

MARION – Linn-Mar’s Morgan Rupp followed a specific routine this winter.

Her mornings started at 5:45. She made her way to the basement and a makeshift home gym. Weight training lasted about 90 minutes before she’d get breakfast and leave for classes that start at 9.

Rupp focused on becoming stronger and adding more driving distance to her golf game. Add the time spent working on swing speed and mechanics and the results came quickly.

“I feel like all of those things came together,” Rupp said. “Even the couple rounds that I played at the beginning of the year I’ve noticed quite a bit of distance that I’ve gained. It’s encouraging to see.”

A fact that could be discouraging to her competition, which already struggled to outplay her. Rupp won the Class 4A state title last season and enters her junior campaign as a championship contender for the spring season.

“I just want to do my best every tournament,” Rupp said. “I know my game and I know I can play well. I just want to go out and prove that I can compete.”

Rupp has been one of the top high school golfers from the time she started with the Lions. Her savvy play and short game helped counter opponents’ edge in distance off the tee. That’s something she noticed during summer tournaments when she had to hit longer clubs than other players on approach shots and failed to reach some long par-4 holes in regulation. Rupp is always in search of being her best.

“She’s just a kid that wants to get better,” Linn-Mar Coach Chris James said. “It’s awesome. She’s definitely her harshest critic. She is a kid that if she doesn’t putt well in a meet and decides after the meet, while we’re driving home, to go back to Hunters Ridge and putt.”

James noted Rupp was 20 to 30 yards behind longer hitters and they had conversations about making improvements. He has enjoyed hearing about her gains.

“She was always up on her fitness but it wasn’t like to get bigger, stronger, hit the ball farther or clubhead speed,” James said. “She has always been a super scrambler and mentally tough, handling those situations better than most people. Now, she’ll be able to hit farther, hopefully. I think that will make more birdies opportunities for her.”

During the winter, Rupp had clubs in her hands a couple times a week, hitting in the cage in the family’s garage. She has mirrors to see her swing and a monitor to track distance and statistics. Rupp also has a mat to work on putting up to 6 feet.

But she devoted five days a week to weight training. She said she is most motivated in the morning and enjoys occasional company.

“I have everything there, which I’m really grateful for,” Rupp said. “Most of the time, too, my parents get up. They do some of their own workouts. We’re down there at the same time. It helps to be able to work out with somebody else.”

The goal is to play in college. Rupp also realized that she needed to gain distance to handle the longer courses she would see at the next level.

“The work I have put in this winter has bridged that gap quite a bit,” Rupp said. “I feel like it has been a lot more manageable.”

Rupp isn’t content with last year’s achievements either. The approach is to contend for a state title this season, instead of defending her title. She might get credit for past gold but it doesn’t impact this season’s results.

“Just play like there are no expectations,” Rupp said. “I feel like I just want to go out and prove myself again. I did accomplish some great things last year, but I want to prove that I can do it again and it wasn’t a fluke. That I deserved to accomplish all those things.

“It’s just a good mentality to have. Keep that determination and motivation to get better in practice every day.”

Team results mean a lot to Rupp as well, according to James. The Lions were sixth at state last season and graduated a couple seniors. Rupp will be relied upon heavily to put up a good score. James said Rupp can meet the challenge.

“She knows we have a different team,” James said. “We’re losing a couple seniors that were pretty good players for us. She knows there might be more of an emphasis to shoot even lower to help out the team. She’s always worried about the team, too. It’s in the back of her mind.”

Committing so much time and effort is worthwhile to Rupp. It all feeds into her passion for golf, which has been a big part of her life. She has prepared for her favorite time of year.

“It does make me happy to play,” Rupp said. “I love competing, too. There’s nothing I like more than golf season and being able to play a bunch of meets and tournaments.”

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