Meredith Ward Anderson had all the necessary qualities – diligence, perseverance and talent – to make it to the top of her sport.

In 2006, the 1998 Crystal Lake Central graduate had reached the zenith of women’s golf and competed on the LPGA Tour. After three years on the Futures Tour, Anderson, who then was still known by her maiden name, achieved her career dream and reached the big tour.

Ward then realized something else after playing on the tour for two years – it was not all that she wanted.

“If it would have [been up to expectations], I would still be doing it,” Anderson said. “I thought it would fulfill everything I want out of life. I thought it would be my career and something I would do for a very long time.”

Anderson does not regret her decision to leave the LPGA, although she also does not regret all the dedication she put into the sport to reach the professional level. Because of golf, she met her husband, Brian, and they have a 11⁄2-year-old daughter, Reese. She teaches high school math and will coach the boys and girls golf teams this year at Oxford Academy in West Palm Beach, Fla.

“[Golf] had been something that had been with me since I was a little girl,” Anderson said. “I was afraid for a while to say it was a dream because I was afraid of failure. I didn’t share that much. Once I did that, it was more of a reality.”

Anderson, 32, placed second in the IHSA Class AA Girls Golf State Tournament as a senior. She was eighth as a sophomore and 11th as a junior, and later had an outstanding career at Vanderbilt, where she earned degrees in engineering and economics. She spent a few weeks recently visiting her parents, Chet and Mindy, who also got time with their granddaughter.

Anderson made sure while she was growing up to allow herself a little personal time for fun.

“I had five full days of golf a week. It was like a job, morning to dusk,” Anderson said. “One day, I’d kind of make a half-day, golf in the morning then something fun to do in the afternoon. I always allotted one day off to keep my sanity. If I devoted to golf sunup to sundown seven days, it would have driven me away from the sport.”

Anderson worked with Jim Buenzli, the teaching professional at Boone Creek in McHenry, from the year she was 12 through high school. Buenzli also hooked her up with noted professional teacher Jack Lumpkin in Georgia. Then, Dr. Bob Rotella, a sports psychologist, helped Anderson later on with her mental game. They all were instrumental with her reaching the LPGA Tour.

One of Anderson’s fondest LPGA memories was playing a tournament in Springfield. That was the weekend she reconnected with Brian Anderson, her caddie for the tournament, who eventually became her husband. Brian now plays on the Nationwide Tour, trying to grind out his own spot on the PGA Tour some day.

“People have no idea,” she said. “From the outside looking in, it looks like a very glamorous lifestyle. In reality, it’s not. There are some nice perks, but it’s difficult to travel all over. Your time spent on the course is the easiest time. When you’re off the course, there are all these other things that make it all-encompassing. Now, I live vicariously through Brian.”

Anderson has no regrets about giving up golf. She embraces motherhood, loves teaching and still hits up Buenzli for tips, this time of the coaching variety.

She uses a valuable life lesson from her playing days with other aspects of life now.

“It gave me confidence that I can do anything I put my mind to,” Anderson said. “Now, I can do teaching. I find a lot of stuff from golf I can do in teaching. The kids are great and no two classes are ever the same. I’m so glad I [became a teacher].”