By Rich Winter

605 Sports

For 10-year old Pine Ridge golfer Ruth Long just getting to the golf course is often the biggest challenge.

With no course in Pine Ridge or even on the Pine Ridge Reservation Ruth and her dad John Long regularly jump in the car for a 50-mile round-trip drive to practice at the nearest course in Rushville, Nebraska.

“It has been challenging that we don’t have a course but that’s been an issue for 15-20 years,” John Long said. “If we don’t go to Rushville, Ruth usually chips and practices in the yard.” 

After a busy summer of practicing and playing junior golf tournaments in South Dakota Ruth  and John kicked it up a notch this week as they drove to New Mexico for the Notah Begay III Championships - Regional Qualifier.

Ruth Long said she expects to feel some nerves on the course in New Mexico but she says she’s ready to do what she always does.

“Mostly I just want to go out and have fun,” she said. “I like playing against new people and we just end up talking and playing golf.” 

Junior golf for Native American athletes in South Dakota can be challenging to say the least. Normally golfers would have to qualify just to get into an event like the one Long is competing in this week.

The problem for the Long’s was there were no qualifying tournaments for that event in South Dakota.

“I ended up sending an email to event organizers,” John Long said. “After they reviewed her credentials (Long was the SDGA Junior Tour 9U state champion in 2022) we got the news that she made the cut.”

In 2022 Ruth Long won a state title in the 9u division of the SDGA Junior Tour golf tournament - Courtesy photo]

The Albuquearge event is a regional qualifier and Long will be competing for a shot to make a national tournament.

If it sounds like the Long’s are swimming in unfamiliar territory, they are. Even in South Dakota, Long usually finds herself as the only Native American golf player on the course.

‘I guess I notice sometimes that I’m the only one,” Ruth Long said. “I wish we had more Native golfers but hopefully there will be more in the future. 

Western South Dakota does not have the same number of junior tournaments that eastern South Dakota does. 

“I’ve played just about all the courses in the Black Hills this summer,” Ruth Long said. “I think my favorite so far has to be Meadowbrook Golf Course.

The father/daughter team ventured east last week to Watertown where they teamed up to win the father/daughter competition in the 10-11 age division. After winning a state title in this same event last year, Long moved up an age division and finished in third place.

John Long and Ruth Long won the father/daughter title in the 10-11 u age division a the SDGA in the Junior Tour State Championships - Courtesy photo

Watertown’s Faith Roehrich, playing on her home course, shot a 42 for nine holes to win. Dell Rapids’ Maddison Bacon was second (50) and Long third (51). 

At this year’s state tournament, John Long went out of his way to look for other Native American junior golfers. He looked for names and towns and communities and came to the conclusion that his daughter was the only one. 

Normally Jay Maynard usually brings his three kids but they had another commitment this year and could not compete.

Long, who first took his daughter to the course in her baby basket at the age of six months and watched her begin playing at age seven offered some thoughts on his girls game. 

“She has a ton of potential with a really nice swing,” he said. “Right now we are teaching her about alignment and working on the fluidity of her swing.” 

Blessed with a sweet swing, Ruth Long is one of the top junior golfers in South Dakota - Courtesy photo

Long, an avid golfer himself, said he is determined to help expand the game of golf and make it more accessible to Native American youth near Pine Ridge. 

 “I started following a thing called First Tee on Facebook,” he said “I saw all of these programs going on in the eastern part of the state and wondered why we don’t have the same opportunities out west.”

The Facebook following led to a meeting at Elkhorn Ridge and Heart Ranch.  

“We were chatting and wondering how we could implement this program in Pine Ridge,” he said. “I passed the background check and we are getting ready to roll out the program this fall.”

Long explained that some of the First Tee Program is some classroom work where young people are taught about living a heathy lifestyle. The program will also provide Long with training clubs. 

“The whole goal is to educate kids on golf and give kids the opportunity to give the game a try.” he said