08/15/2024
18 Holes! 18 Questions!
Taylor Cormier
Humber Valley Resort
Bio:
Taylor Cormier is an accomplished young golfer who has recently earned her second Amateur Champion title for Newfoundland and Labrador. Currently residing in North Dakota, Taylor is heading into her fifth and final year at Minot State University, where she competes on scholarship at the NCAA DII level for the Beavers women’s golf team.
Balancing a rigorous schedule of travel, practice, workouts, and volunteering, Taylor is also pur-suing a Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise Science and Rehabilitation Pre-Physical Therapy, with a minor in Coaching and a concentration in Sports Medicine. Her dedication to both her studies and athlet-ics is evident in her impressive academic achievements, including a 3.65 GPA, honor roll recognition for five semesters, and the president's list for two semesters. On the golf course, Taylor has achieved eight top-10 finishes and five top-5 finishes in her respected conference tournaments.
Her passion for coaching is equally notable. During the summer months, Taylor returns to her hometown of Corner Brook, where she enjoys being an assistant coach to Wayne Allen’s junior program nurturing young golfers and sharing her love for the game. Having started in the same junior program herself at the age of 4, Taylor takes great joy in watching the new generation of golfers develop a passion for the game. Recently, Taylor has been named a Women in Coaching Apprentice Coach for the 2025 Canada Games, marking a significant step forward in her coaching career. With a dream of becoming a Sports Physical Therapist, Taylor dreams of incorporating her career with her passion for Golf in any way she can.
1. What is your full name?
Taylor Cormier
2. Where were you born and where do you live today?
I was born in Charlottetown, PEI and today I live in Corner Brook, Newfoundland is where I call home but I currently live in Minot, North Dakota during the school year!
3. What would people be surprised to learn about you?
I am very superstitious! I have to wear odd Puma socks during tournament rounds, the dark sock has to be on my left foot and the light on my right!
4. Are you a member of a golf club and what club? Who do you regularly play golf with?
I am a new member at Humber Valley Resort this season, and am in love with the course I get to play everyday!
With my busy schedule, I often jump out on the course by myself whenever I get the chance so I unfortunately do not have any regular playing partners. I am always open to playing with anyone and everyone though!
5. What's your favorite course that you have played and what course would you like to play anywhere in the world ?
My favorite course that I have played is by far Glen Abbey in Oakville, Ontario. While compet-ing at the National Junior Skills Challenge, I had the honor of playing the course just days prior to the last Canadian Open to be held at the course in 2018. My true dream course is Augusta National, but more re-alistically I would love to play Cabot Cliffs in Nova Scotia!
6. Where and when did you start golfing and what is your best score ever?
My dad bought me my first set of plastic golf clubs when I was 4 years old and registered me in Wayne Allen’s Junior Program when I was 5!
My lowest tournament round at a Junior length course was 74 at Fox Creek in New Brunswick in 2019 and my lowest tournament round at a Collegiate length course was 75 at The Jewel Golf Club in Minnesota in 2023.
7. Can you (briefly) tell us your most memorable golf experience.
My most memorable golf experience is actually from when I was a Junior. After traveling to compete at an Atlantic Junior Championship, I had an extra couple days before having to catch the ferry home. I decided to sign up last minute for an MJT tournament being held in New Brunswick. I ended up shooting my lowest tournament round to date the first day and winning in a playoff on the second day. This moment is extremely memorable for me because it was the time I truly found “the zone” I read about in books. I remember everything being so automatic and calm, even when added pressure came during the playoff, I was able to stay focused, I still aspire to feel this deep into “the zone” every time I play.
8. Can you (briefly) tell us your funniest golf experience.
It is honestly impossible to choose just one funny story from a time on the golf course when I grew up traveling to junior tournaments with Paige Hickey. When a normal day of golf together consist-ed of things like someone catching a fish with their hand while looking for their golf ball in a water haz-ard, convincing our dads that a snapped golf club we found on the course was ours, someone's push cart rolling into a pond, always asking our coach Wayne to say watermelon in his British accent, or finding a new nickname for Jim Stick whom we called “Twig”.
9. What is your greatest golf accomplishment?
Achieving my dream of being able to help pay for my education with my sport!
10. How do you like to relax?
While away at school, I love having girls nights with my roommates and some of our closest friends and taking our minds off of our school work! While home, I love spending my days off at my cabin and spending time on the lake!
11. What is your most treasured golf possession?
A flag from the 2018 Canadian Open with most of the field's signatures, but most treasured is that of Jack Nicklaus!
12. What is your best/worst quality on the golf course?
My best quality is that I am extremely determined and will never settle, I continuously want to beat my best and improve. Sadly, this is also my downfall. I am often too hard on myself and strive for perfection even though “golf is not a game of perfection” which my dad has reminded me over and over since I was young.
13. What 3 professional golfers would you like to join you at a dream dinner party?
Tiger woods, Nelly Korda, and Rory Mcllroy
14. What 3 people (golfers) would you like to join you at a dream dinner?
My dad Serge, my mom Shellie, and my little brother Rhys… there is nothing I miss more than family dinners while I am away at school for months
15. Have you ever had a hole-in-one? When and where?
I have actually made 3 true hole in ones including Hole #2 at Humber Valley in 2017 during a de-velopment team camp, Hole #6 at Humber River in 2017 during the Tely Tour and Hole #11 at Bakker Crossing in South Dakota in 2023 during an official practice round.
16. What is your favorite/least favorite golfing hole on a Newfoundland & Labrador golf course?
My favorite view on a course in Newfoundland is by far hole #10 at Humber Valley Resort but my favorite hole to play is actually hole #7 a par 5 with a wide open fairway! My least favorite hole is hole #4 at Blomidon because of the tree directly in front of the green adding an extra obstacle to an al-ready tough to hit green.
17. What do you think is the worst rule in golf and how would you change it?
Having to play from obstructions after hitting a solid shot into the fairway (divot, against fallen branch, mud on ball). Some sort of lift-clean-place rule within a grip length could be in effect in cases such as these, perhaps even lift-clean-drop to avoid creating perfect lies.
18. What advice would you give to a young golfer starting to play golf today?
I promise the phrase “practice makes perfect” is not applicable to golf, no matter how much you practice you will never achieve perfection because it is just not part of the game, instead learn to go by “practice makes progress”. The best players in the world hit bad shots; they just don’t make it to the highlight reels you see all the time. Your recovery from bad shots or a bad hole is what is most important. Do not be discouraged and set goals for yourself and do not let anyone tell you that you can not achieve them.
