The sport that binds them: My time with the Melendez family

ANN ARBOR, MI – For the Melendez family, golf transcends the holes, fairways and greens. Golf is a mindset that informs life beyond the course.

As I followed Mia Melendez during her senior season at Ann Arbor Greenhills School, several times she mentioned her resilience on the course, how each stroke is separate from the last.

That’s golf — you must play the ball from where it falls, there is no going back.

MLive’s video team began shadowing Mia during her senior year of golf beginning in late August at her home. By then she had already won the individual state title three years in a row, and she was the favorite to win again this year – an accomplishment never achieved by a Lower Peninsula golfer.

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We interviewed her entire family of golfers: Her mother Tori, her father Robert Sr., her sister Amaya, and brother Robert Jr. Each of them described their unique relationship with the sport that has bound them together.

We returned another day to interview Mia and the conversation was more impressive and insightful than what I expected from a high schooler. Here was a young lady who had ambitions and focus that was palpable, yet not brandished.

As we learned more about her through her interviews, we discovered that Mia wasn’t only an athlete but a creative spirit who is passionate about drawing. She had many doodles made out on the course on old scorecards, and her bed frame and desk were covered in freehand sketches.

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Golf is a sport of great focus, and I was hoping that the presence of cameras wouldn’t hinder Mia’s performance. As we found out, she played great when we visited a match in early September. This is a trait Mia holds dear, she remains cool and collected under pressure.

That match she made an amazing chip-in which I had to scramble to capture. Mia has a quick rhythm and ritual to her play that took some getting used to.

The next time I visited Mia was for a family golf day on the course around their home. I walked the front nine with the family, taking some time to grab more creative angles I couldn’t during a regular match. Mia was stoic as always, even in family round, but she made some fun quips after some shots: “That is the worst drive I’ve ever made.” Probably because I had a GoPro tucked right under the ball as she teed off.

The MHSAA Division 4 state finals this year were on October 18-19 at MSU’s Forest Akres West. Mia struggled on the notoriously difficult course, ending the first day in seventh place. But spending the six-hour day walking close to the Melendez family, I saw the pride and dedication Tori and Robert Sr. have for their children.

I interviewed Mia after day one and could tell her spirit was low behind her competitive eyes. The only thing I could think of was how incredible her resolve was facing another six-hour day and knowing the title was now out of reach.

Though Mia didn’t win the fourth state title, she knew this wasn’t the end for her and golf.

At the end of day two, she told me, “It’s great to know golf is a sport you can play your whole life… I’ll be playing with my family for a long time.”

I learned a lot from the Melendez family.