One season is all it took to turn around the golf career of Sarah Heimlich.

Heimlich, who graduated from Serra Catholic High School in June, thought about playing golf in college and hoped that a college coach somewhere along the way might notice her.

After her performance this past WPIAL season and throughout the summer, Heimlich caught the attention of many of her fellow competitors as well as that of 14 college coaches who offered her a scholarship.

Heimlich eventually accepted a scholarship to play at Youngstown State University this fall.

"At first I was just looking to play golf in college," Heimlich said. "At the beginning of the summer I switched to a new instructor and he worked on my mental game and that is when I started playing better and when I turned my game around. I started to have some more confidence."

Heimlich's new instructor is Eric Anderson, a 2000 McKeesport Area High School graduate and a professional golfer living in White Oak. Anderson instructs about a dozen golfers and he said Heimlich is the most talented of his current crop.

"When I first met her, she had a short-term goal of [lowering her score] from the 80s to the 70s and obviously we accomplished that," Anderson said.

"Her second goal was to go to college and play golf and at Youngstown State she will accomplish that part, too. Her progression has been amazing."

Anderson knew Heimlich was where she needed to be when, playing with a 10-stroke handicap, Heimlich defeated Anderson, firing a 74 compared to his 66.

She capped her high school career with a second-place tie at the WPIAL championships last October with Waynesburg Central's Rachel Rohanna, an Ohio State recruit, behind Fox Chapel standout Nadia Luttner.

This summer, Heimlich was named the King's Tri-State PGA Junior Golfer of the Year for girls' 16-18.

"The beginning of WPIALs was a turning point for me," Heimlich said shortly after playing in a golf outing to benefit Elizabeth Forward athletics at Butler's Golf Course in Elizabeth.

"At the end of the summer I had 14 offers from different schools and really just the confidence gave me that extra boost, knowing I have the ability to play with anyone."

In fact, Heimlich has pretty much been playing against anyone. At Serra Catholic she was the only girl on the varsity golf team and the first on the Eagles team in 10 years (Serra doesn't have a girls' team).

"I went up to practice the first time and it was a little bit intimidating," Heimlich said. "I wanted to prove that just because I was a girl didn't mean that I couldn't compete with all the boys in high school. I think I proved to them that I can play just as well as them ... if not better."

In 2007 Heimlich helped Serra to a section title. After her performance last October in the WPIAL championship tournament, Heimlich attracted interest from several colleges around the country and she finally narrowed her choices to Rollins College in Florida and Youngstown State.

"It was extremely hard narrowing the schools down and I basically went on feel," Heimlich said.

"Whenever I went to Youngstown, I got a feel from the campus, the coach and I knew that is where I wanted to be. I am extremely excited to play Division I golf."

Growing up, Heimlich said golf was an obvious choice for her to pick up. She lives in Elizabeth Township about a two-minute walk from Youghiogheny Country Club. She started at the junior golf program at the Yough course and she quickly fell in love with the game.

"After the junior golf program, it really grabbed my attention," Heimlich said. "It is something that I love to do."

Heimlich was named the Tri-State PGA Junior Golfer of the Year earlier this month after a competition at the Nemacolin Woodlands Mystic Rock course. The award is given based on points earned through the summer and Heimlich entered the last tournament in third place but she outperformed the two golfers in front of her to win the award.

Heimlich, who has traveled to golf tournaments around the country, said her favorite course is Mystic Rock.

"I have played there six times and it is so scenic and beautiful," Heimlich said. "You can't help but look around and take it all in."