Park University head golf coach Martha Linscott has taken an unorthodox path in her golfing journey. Later this month, it will lead her to a fourth opportunity to compete alongside some of the greatest players in the sport’s history.
Linscott will be one of the amateurs in a 120-player field at the U.S. Senior Women’s Open Championship, set for Aug. 21-24 at San Diego Country Club in Chula Vista, Calif.. She will tee it up against decorated professionals, including World Golf Hall of Fame members Karrie Webb, Juli Inkster, Laura Davies and Annika Sörenstam.
Her spot came only after a tense finish at the Nelson Golf and Sports Club in Irving, Texas, during a qualifier on June 18. Facing a field of 16 players in the Dallas-area event, Linscott tied with former LPGA touring professional Susie Redman for the third and final qualifying spot after both carded a 79.
That sent the two into a sudden-death playoff on the 18th hole, which featured water along the left side of the fairway and green. Speaking to her husband and caddie, Randy, before teeing off, Linscott said, “I don’t really want to play this hole twice, so we’re going to have to be aggressive.”
She stayed true to her plan, reaching the back of the green in two shots while Redman landed on the green in three. The decisive moment came when Linscott rolled in a six-foot par putt to secure the win and the championship berth.
“If I make the put, then I win,” Linscott said. “But if I miss, then we’re going into another hole of playoffs and that’s what you don’t want to do. You don’t want to prolong playoffs; too nerve-racking.”
This will be Linscott’s fourth consecutive appearance in the championship, and the Mission Hills, Kansas, resident believes her past experiences will help her better manage the intimidation of sharing the course with golf legends.
“They treat you like you’re a professional golfer,” Linscott said. “You’re playing against professional golfers and playing against the ladies I watched on tour. Now I’m thrown into the same tournament as they are.”
Last year, she narrowly missed the cut, but her goal this year is to finish in the top 50 and play the entire weekend. That means managing nerves and maintaining focus.
“It’s just a whole different setting in a professional tournament,” she said. “Now that I’ve done it the last three years, I’ve felt more comfortable. It’s still unnerving, but it’s not like the first time.”
Linscott’s golf journey began when she was 10 years old, picking up the sport alongside her twin sister. Growing up in Claremore, Okla., she often played while visiting her grandparents in Iowa, where the game quickly became a favorite.
She continued through high school but didn’t initially believe she had the talent to compete in college. That changed after an impressive senior season. After spending a year at Oklahoma State University, a friend helped her secure a scholarship to play the next three years at Southwest Missouri State University, now Missouri State.
Following college, Linscott coached for a year at her alma mater before moving to Kansas City with her husband. At that time, she stepped away from the idea of playing golf professionally.
In 2010, her competitive drive returned, and she began entering qualifiers for national amateur tournaments. “I told myself that I’m going to be the best amateur golfer that I can be,” Linscott said. “That’s kind of what I’ve been doing all these years since.”
As head coach of Park University’s men’s and women’s golf programs since 2021, Linscott has remained deeply connected to the game while developing successful collegiate programs.
The Park women’s team won the 2021 Heart of America Conference championship, and the men’s team claimed the conference tournament title in 2023. She has twice been named the Heart of America Conference Coach of the Year for women’s golf.
Her ability to balance competing at a high level with leading her teams offers a powerful example for her players. “If coach can do it, then so can they,” Linscott said.
Whether she makes the cut in San Diego or not, Linscott has no plans to step away from the game anytime soon.
“I still enjoy playing and competing,” she said. “As long as I keep qualifying, I’m going to keep trying.”