Brooklynite takes LIRR to a victory

This was one time when carrying the trophy home was as challenging as winning it. Victoria House, 18, of Brooklyn already had her hands full, bringing her clubs back on the Long Island Rail Road and subway. She also had to lug the hardware she earned at the Metropolitan Golf Association's Women's Public Links Championship Wednesday at Bethpage Red.

Not that it was a problem. House has learned to turn back all challenges, such as getting to the course. "My parents don't have a car," she said, explaining that her dad works at various studios, making movie sets and her mom works on Wall Street, and neither needs wheels.

So their daughter, carrying her golf bag, takes a 40-minute subway ride to Brooklyn's Dyker Beach course or a 90-minute trek to Mosholu Golf Course in the Bronx. "If I'm walking down the street in the city, people make jokes like, 'I saw your ball over there,' " she said. "I'm used to it now, but when I was younger, it was kind of embarrassing, taking the train by myself."

Occasionally, House does what she did Wednesday -- catch the LIRR from the Atlantic Terminal, hop in a cab at the Farmingdale station and head to the first tee at Bethpage. She definitely has nothing to be embarrassed about there. She shot 75 on the Red, making two birdies in the 5 over par round for a three-shot win. It was the biggest triumph yet for the golfer whose commute emphasizes the "public" in public links.

"Sometimes it takes a little bit of motivation, but I try to get out to play golf four or five times a week," said the golfer who won the Met PGA Junior New York City Championship last year and walked on to the University of San Francisco golf team this past year as a freshman.

She has been playing golf since she was six and entering tournaments since she was nine. But it has only been in the past few years that she has grown serious about it. It helped that she joined the First Tee program. "I found people my age who are interested in golf, and that's really hard in the city," she said.

Also, she worked in the Trophy Club at the 2009 U.S. Open at the Black Course, coming out early to watch the pros practice. "I think that's what really sparked me," she said.

For many of her competitors, such as Yong Park of Manhasset (who shot 81 and was briefly tied for the lead), Wednesday's tournament was a lead-in to the Long Island Executive Women's Golf Association championship at Spring Lake in Middle Island Thursday.

For the whole field, Wednesday was an occasion to agree that the struggling golf industry could get healthy in a hurry if it gets more women involved. "I think if you're not a good player yet, it's intimidating to come out by yourself and play," said Christine DeRienzo of Old Bethpage, who likes the EWGA's practice of grouping golfers according to skill level.

Donna Joseph of Baldwin, who took up golf when she was an investment banker after she saw her male co-workers leaving the office to meet clients on the course, likes the idea of moving tees forward. Valinda Valcich of Montauk, who shot 82, believes it is a matter of catching girls' interest when they are young (admitting that her daughter, 21, prefers to show horses).

The best lure might be the example of an 18-year-old on the train with a trophy. "I think it's a really beautiful game," House said. "There are so many areas to be good at. When I play well, it's kind of addictive."