Pam Prescott’s success on the golf course has come along with a few problems, some big and others small.

Prescott qualified to play in two USGA National championships. She wasn’t real sure where one tournament is or how to get to the other one in Alaska, yes Alaska.

Qualifying for the two national championships has also caused some smaller problems for the Southern Oaks member, but none have been able to dampen the excitement of playing in a pair of major events.

“It is exciting to be able to play in these national tournaments,” said Prescott. “Exciting, but expensive too, especially going to Alaska,” she said.

The girl’s golf coach at Powdersville High School shot a 78 at The Woodcreek Club in Elgin, to finish third and earn a second straight trip to the Senior Women’s Amateur.

“I was playing okay, but I ended up bogeying the last three holes and I thought that would have knocked me out of it,” said Prescott.

Instead her score was just 2-shots behind the top qualifier and two shots in front of the last qualifier.

“When I found out I made it again this year I was pretty excited, but then when I realized it was Alaska, I wondered how in the world am I going to get there,” she said.

As it turns out there is a direct flight from Atlanta to Anchorage and Prescott is at least set to get there. Where she stays was another small problem.

“We were one of the last qualifiers and the USGA sends out hotel information as you qualify. Being last, there wasn’t much left when we got our information,” she said.

Prescott has played at a championship level in WSCGA and CGA events since her breakout win at the 2018 WSCGA Senior Championship.

Since the win, Prescott also won the CGA Senior Women’s championship and been a runner-up in the same event. She has become a regular top-10 finisher in big Carolinas tournaments.

“I guess I’ve gotten better as I’ve gotten a little older. I’m not sure why, but I am playing pretty well right now,.” she said.

Prescott qualified for a second national championship, the US Senior Women’s Open, by finishing fourth in the qualifying tournament at the Country Club of Salisbury.

“The course was perfect and I hit the ball probably as good as I ever have,” she said.

Brenda Kuehn, from Asheville, won the qualifier with a 70 while Prescott posted a 73. Both will advance to the NCR Country Club in Kettering, Ohio and play in the professional event as amateurs.

Winning her way into a second national championship has presented Prescott with another little problem. She has to find somebody to fill in as coach for her golf team for a week or so.

The Senior Women’s Open is in a suburb of Dayton .The course has hosted a PGA Championship, a men’s and women’s Senior Open, a Mid-Am championships and several other high level tournaments.

While Prescott believes she is playing better than ever, she shares the credit with her caddy, David League.

“We played in an SCGA Mixed Team tournament and got along real well. I needed a caddy to go to Alabama last year and he said he would do it. He has helped me at several tournaments. We make a good team,” she said.

When League competed locally he was a solid player. He brings his knowledge of the game with him, but it is his calm nature that has helped provide Prescott with the right kind of motivation at the right time on the course.

“We had a difference of opinion on how to read a putt when we first started. His way was the right way and I made the putt. I’ve got a lot of confidence in what he tells me,” she said.

League will be on the bag in Dayton, and the two are still working on Alaska.

Last year Prescott advanced to the championship in the Senior Amateur and made the Match Play bracket. She was knocked out of the competition when her opponent birdied the 18th hole in a first round of 64 match.

“Last year my goal was to make Match Play, but this year I’m setting a goal to do better, maybe win a couple of matches before I have to come home,” she said.

Now that she knows were she is going in Ohio and how she is getting to Alaska she is working out another problem.

“I heard the bugs in Alaska are big enough to carry you off, so I got to figure out how to deal with that too,” she joked.

The US Senior Women’s Amateur will be played at the Anchorage Country Club starting on July 30th. The tournament opens with stroke play and then a 64 team Match Play bracket.

The US Women’s Senior Open will be played at the NRC Course in Kettering starting on August 25th and is a 72 hole stroke play event.