After seven years on the LPGA Tour, Kentucky native Emma Talley Smith recently announced her retirement at age 30 from the professional golf tour. While she didn’t win a tour tournament, she leaves behind an admirable legacy centered around faith and family.
In 2013 she won the prestigious U.S. Women’s Amateur, where she brought national attention to her hometown of Princeton, Ky. She was in the winner’s circle two years later, winning the NCAA Women’s Golf Championship while at the University of Alabama.
But that only begins to explain the impact she has had as she has played competitively on different continents.
Golfweek magazine called her a “Southern charmer (who) has made an awful lot of friends this week (at the Women’s Amateur in Charleston, S.C.). Television commentator Kay Cockerel said, “Your game is stellar and your attitude and disposition even better. You are a worthy champ.”
Golfweek was not hesitant to point out the role of the golfer’s faith in her life. The magazine said, “Emma is subtle yet very obvious about her strong Christian faith, drawing crosses on her white tees and writing the word ‘Jesus.’ She’s been doing that for years as a way to spark conversation with her peers.”
On Facebook after that U.S. Amateur victory, she posted a heart sign, followed by Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
People in her hometown recognized how special she was early in her golfing career, which included winning three state high school championships. In 2011, she was honored as the Citizen of the Year by the Princeton Kiwanis Club — decades younger than any person to ever receive that award which dates to 1933. A teenager at the time, she was recognized for “standing out in all ways” — including academics, church, family relations and honesty.
In accepting the award, she praised her parents, golf friends and community. She talked recently about the opportunities that golf has presented her to travel and meet many different people. “I have been able to share the love of God with them and share the same love of golf.”
Retirement from competitive golf at 30 is something that Smith says is exciting. The reason — she and husband Patrick are expecting their first child, a daughter, in June. And she candidly admits their child should have good golf genes since her husband “is a really good golfer” and currently caddies on the LPGA Tour.
“I did have to finish out my (2024) season pregnant and I was very sick,” she told Golfweek. “I’m pretty sure half the tour already knew I was pregnant, because I was eating pretzels, laying down on the tee box in Hawaii.”
The Golfweek article by Beth Ann Nichols noted, “While many players on the LPGA mix motherhood with tour life, Talley (Smith) has always known that wasn’t for her. When she says she’ll miss everything about the tour, from the volunteers to the sponsors to her close friends out there – she means it. If only the LPGA could bottle her personality and pour it out like sunshine at every tour stop. Professional golf is a grind. Many players put on blinders at the office and go from task to task without making much eye contact. Even simple greetings are rare. Which is what made Talley (Smith) stand out so much all these years.”
In reflecting on her career, Smith talked about the instrumental role her family has played in her success.
“Every morning before I went to school, my mother told me, ‘Be good. Be kind. Be smart. Make a difference today.’ That phrase has meant a lot in my life. When I won the U.S. Amateur, I had been struggling in golf. But I tried to make a difference. Because of my parents and my faith, I hope I have left someone smiling and made a difference in their life. My faith is No. 1 in my life … I am not perfect, but hopefully His light has shined through me.” Talley was involved in the youth group at Princeton First Baptist while a high school student.
Her father, Dan, is an optometrist in Princeton who has been a constant by her side, often caddying for her. Ironically, an interaction they had at a January tournament where he caddied for her paved the way for her to consider retirement.
“I was doing a putting drill — one I had done since I was 9 years old — and I said I was tired of that drill,” she recalled. “He told me I didn’t have to do it any more. That was the beginning of my retirement journey.
“My parents are so supportive. My dad will miss me on the golf course — he has taken me everywhere. We were at Pebble Beach a month ago. Even though my LPGA career is over, who knows where it will take us,” she said, indicating that she still has hopes of playing in more events.
She already is serving as a volunteer coach for the women’s golf team at Western Kentucky University. This past year she worked for the tour in various media roles, from social media to podcast host.
“Golf has played such a big part in my life, but as you get older, it becomes apparent that life goes by in the blink of an eye.”
She remembers a friend, Cullan Brown, who grew up in nearby Lyon County and died in 2020 at age 20 while on the University of Kentucky golf team, and in moments like those “life really became so small.”
She said golf “has taken me to different countries and cultures, and I’ve met a lot of different faiths in the world. It has led to a lot of conversations about my faith — I’m definitely not shy talking about it. It is a big part of my life, my conversations, and I am very thankful I have gotten to see the world. But obviously my faith is No. 1.”
In addition to her parents and other family members as well as a supportive community, she had the benefit of having a Kentucky Baptist as her golf pro. Todd Trimble, a long-time Sunday school teacher at Heartland Church in Paducah and teaching professional at the Golf Complex, has worked with her since she was 9 years old. Not only did he mentor her in golf, but also in life.
“Our first talk was about faith — she brought it up to me. We have prayed about things together. We’ve read a few books together. Faith has always been part of our relationship and our conversation.”
He said working with her “has been the time of my life … just for her to share her life with me has been such a good time,” he said, becoming emotional as he recalled the conversations they have had — everything from talking about boyfriends to peer pressure.
“It’s almost like I raised another daughter. I have loved her like she is my own daughter — I have prayed for her like she is one of my own. She’s always held fast and been inspirational to me,” Trimble said.
He said that experience encourages him to continue pouring into the life of other young golfers. “When you have success with one kid it bleeds into another. You want to impact the next kid who comes into the room.”
Emma Talley watches her shot from the first fairway during the second round of LPGA's DIO Implant LA Open golf tournament at Wilshire Country Club on Friday, April 22, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
