Erica Couch, a senior golfer from Richmond Hill High School, like all the other 
athletes from the Class of 2020, had to deal with her last high school golf season sliced short. Couch is a two-sport athlete for the Wildcats. She has played volleyball and golf all four years of high school. Erica is known as one of the top female prep golfers in the Savannah area. Couch defended her Savannah Junior City Amateur title back to back in 2019.
In 2019, Couch was the Georgia High School Association 6A Region girls’ golf champion, then finished 4th in the area. The Wildcats as a team qualified for the third straight time for state championships, a school record. Erica couldn't defend her region title or go back to state again for the forth year in a row because of the COVID-19 pandemic bringing the GHSA spring sports season to a screeching halt.
“I did not get to finish out my senior season. I have been playing since on my own and played in two smaller tournaments,” said Couch. On Monday Erica won the Savannah Junior Golf Association Girl’s Open Division at the Deer Creek Golf Classic at the Landings Club to start her summer golf season.
Over Couch’s prep career, the Wildcats never missed the Georgia State Golf 
Association State Tournament. The Richmond Hill High School girl’s golf program had never made the GHSA state golf tournament according to head boys and girls Golf Coach Tommy Hensley. In 2019, the Wildcats won the region and Erica was the low medalist to win the region's individual title.
“Erica’s leadership was a big reason the girl’s program made the GHSA state golf tournament and won the region. She was the leader, was our team captain the past two seasons, and she just made everybody better,” said Hensley. Erica led her team the last three seasons by having the lowest scoring average. Couch earned GHSA Coach's 6A All-Region Golf first team honors in 2019. The Savannah Morning News chose Couch as an All-Greater Savannah area girl’s golfer for the past three years, in 2019 to the first team, the second team in 2018, and honorable mention in 2017.
Every athlete has to start somewhere. For Couch it all started at an early age. “My dad (Kenny) taught me to swing when I was three years old. I always had a golf swing, but didn’t pick it up truly until seventh grade. I enjoy the competitive drive, and the need to always work on something,” said Erica.
You can tell her Dad has had a big impact on her golf game. Couch stated, “The most influential person on my athletic career is my dad. He is the one that taught me how to swing, he has always helped me, and pushed me, to get me to where I am today.” There are others who can vouch for her drive to be where she is in her golf game. Head Golf Coach Tommy Hensley told the PSR, “She anchored the team and never stops working to get better. We would practice two hours every day. Erica would stay at least another hour. You can tell by her game that she puts in the effort to get better.”
Golf is a challenging game for any golfer stated Coach Hensley. “Erica could handle the challenge and pressure. It is a game that is so repetitive, you need to put in the time to work on your game. She also is an exceptional student. Erica always found time to do both, but also found time to assit others. She would help any player on the team, boy or girl, and always reached out to be a mentor to the younger players. She would take them under her wing. She is true leader and helped build the girl's golf program,” said Hensley. “Her dad and mom (Lisa), is an enormous part of her success. What I will miss about Erica is she is an outstanding golfer, but most of all a better person.”
Couch feels she knows what it takes to be a student athlete. “I believe being a student-athlete is a lot to handle. One of the hardest things to do is time management. You might have a five-hour bus ride to play a tournament, and then a five-hour ride home. You might have an exam the next day. You got to plan and be ready. One thing I have learned is that if you can manage your time, and get on teachers' good side, you are better off,” said Erica.
Erica will attend the University of West Georgia in the fall as a biology major and play golf.
