At the start of the season, Alexis Belton was unsure what 2023 would look like for her. The 2018 Clash of Canyon winner turned in her Driver and Tee Claws for a headset and became ½ of the World Long Drive Announcing team alongside Bobby Bradley. For most people, this would have been a daunting challenge, but for Belton, there was a sense of excitement to try something new and grow this sport further. While the recent decision came with unexpected challenges along the way, Alexis adapted in the booth just as she would do on the Tee boxes when competing. While Alexis has found a new calling in the booth commentating WLD events, her playing career is, by no means over after a Semifinal finish in her first event in a couple of years. The future is bright for Alexis Belton, whether she decides to never pick up the driver again or to build upon the strong finish to 2023.
Golf was not always Alexis’ calling; it was not even her favorite sport. It took a Golf coach in her high school to approach her and ask if she would be interested in joining the team to get her to consider. While Alexis was hesitant at first, upon hearing the golf team would miss days of school, receive free food while competing, and choose their own outfits, she was 100 % in. She played on the team the rest of high school and went on to play collegiate golf at Texas Wesleyan University, becoming the first All-American golfer in the school’s history. While golf had turned to her passion and what she wanted to pursue after college, the sport of Long Drive was still barely on her radar.
After graduation, Alexis shifted her focus to Q-School, which is a tour where golfers will play tournaments to gain points, with the top finishers at the end of the year qualifying for the tour. Historically, Q-School is the main method by which golfers earned PGA Tour playing privileges, commonly known as a Tour card. As Alexis was saving money for Q-School, she noticed the 2017 World Championships in Oklahoma was just 2 hours away, which prompted her to test the long drive waters. In just her first competition, Alexis reached the semifinals, which officially had her considering Long Drive now. Her 2018 season followed suit, competing in four events, and never being eliminated prior to the quarterfinals. That season, Alexis also captured her first career Long Drive victory at the Clash of the Canyons. That event capped off a journey into the sport of long drive with many twists and turns, but the victory proved to be the icing on the cake for Alexis and her “I belong” moment in this sport.
Outside of her days commentating and competing, Alexis does so many things to grow the sport of golf. Her work with local charities in her home city of Atlanta is extensive, as well as her work to grow the sport of golf around the world through initiatives with brands like Footjoy. The goal is to grow the accessibility and inclusivity in the sport of golf all around the world through a docuseries that will feature Alexis. According to Footjoy, “The docuseries will highlight three diverse stories that stem from the golf course with an aim to educate and inspire a more equitable environment in the golf space.” The series will be a great way to get a snapshot into Alexis’ life surrounding the game of golf and all the positives she is bringing to the sport.
After the World Championships, Alexis Belton has many different options for the 2024 season. After a strong run, advancing into the Semifinals, no one is questioning if the Louisiana native can still keep up with her competition. As she spends her time away from competing and now in the booth, Alexis has found a new passion that she wants to pursue. As each event went on, she improved her skills in the booth and has now carved out a role as one of the voices of the World Long Drive.
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