Jennifer Ha: Shaping Canada’s next generation of golfers
- Buzzer Beater Sports
- Apr 5
- 3 min read
Updated: Apr 5
By Matteo Ametrano
The future of Canadian golf is in capable hands with Jennifer Ha, as her path from competitive golfer to coach has been all about helping the next generation.
Ha, a former professional golfer who is now an assistant coach with Golf Canada’s NextGen girls team, develops some of the country’s most promising young athletes. For her, the role represents something more than a career transition.
“This was why I played professional golf,” Ha said. “This is why I did what I did, to pass it on to the next generation of golfers.”
When Jennifer was younger, she was a multi-sport athlete. She directed her focus mainly to golf around the age of 15. From there, she competed across Canada at the junior level before going to play at Kent State University.
Her time at Kent State was significant to her. For her development as a player and for the relationships she built. At school, Ha was part of a group of Canadian golfers who included Corey Conners, Taylor Pendrith, and Mackenzie Hughes, who have all gone on to have successful professional careers on the PGA Tour.
“It was awesome,” Jennifer said. “I always joked that I saw them 300 days out of the year. We all really encouraged each other to get better.”
Being far from home, their shared Canadian identity became that much more important.
“We always celebrated Canadian Thanksgiving together,” Ha said. “It was like having a second family there with me, and it made being away from home easier.”
After a successful collegiate career, Jennifer turned pro in 2017, competing on the LPGA Tour and other circuits for four years. Eventually, while staying in golf, her focus shifted. She realized coaching offered a new way to stay connected to the sport, while making a lasting impact on future athletes.
Jennifer's role with Golf Canada feels almost like a homecoming in some ways, she said.
“It was a full-circle moment for me,” Ha said. “I played on this team for eight years, and when I got the job, I felt like I was coming back home.”
Jennifer works closely with athletes, navigating some of the same challenges she once faced. In addition to being hands-on with her golfers at tournaments, she also helps athletes balance school, competition, and personal growth.
“We do a lot of course management and tournament planning,” she said. “We’re at events with them, helping set targets, talking through strategy. But we’re also kind of their trusted adults, we’re there to support their school life and personal life too.”
Her approach to coaching is shaped by her own experiences and different obstacles she had to overcome as a player. Working with her former coach, Tristan Mullally, allows her to reflect on those moments in real time.
“It’s been really cool to talk to him and say, ‘Remember when I went through this?’” Ha said. “I find it helpful to use my experiences to guide these athletes through different phases of their lives.”
One of those athletes is Shauna Liu, a member of the NextGen team who has committed to play golf at UCLA.
Liu credits a good deal of her development, particularly her mental game, to Jennifer's coaching.
“A lot of playing well in golf comes down to your mental game,” Shauna said. “Jennifer has helped me become more independent as a golfer, which has helped my mental game on the course.”
Off the course, Jennifer has also played an important role in Liu’s journey to the collegiate level.
“She was one of the main people I talked to during my decision-making process,” said Shauna. “She’s been through it herself, so she knows what’s important. She’s coached so many players through that process, and that experience really helped me.”
What makes coaching so meaningful for Jennifer is watching her players grow, as athletes and individuals, while they learn from her experiences.
With her golf journey coming full circle, she is teaching young athletes and coaching future golfers who stand in the same position she once stood.
Comments