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With Help from Home, Palacios Primed to Make Impact for Utah Golf
12/20/2023 11:57 AM | Men's Golf
Freshman Feature: Gabriel Palacios
SALT LAKE CITY β Family and athletics are two threads that are often intertwined and Gabriel Palacios' family is a perfect example. Growing up with a father and brother who would often be at the golf course helped grow Palacios' interest in and passion for the game. And as the Guatemala native has adjusted to life in the United States and the intensely competitive atmosphere that exists in college golf, his supporters back home have never wavered in their belief in Palacios' ability to succeed. "My support system has been great," he said, "and they've supported me every step of the way."
For Gabriel Palacios, growing up in a family where golf is woven into the fabric of the household meant it wasn't long before he starting picking up the clubs. "Since I was three or four years old," said Palacios, "I started picking up those plastic clubs. My dad played golf, also my brother and grandfather so it was kind of in the family."
It also meant the competition to be the best golfer in the family was always intense. "My brother and my dad were the two people I wanted to beat all time," said Palacios, "I played with them a lot. I think when I was 12, the three of us were at about the same level. They helped me a lot and they became role models."
As Palacios' competitive drive for golf came alive and he continued looking for ways to improve on the links, he received guidance from three experienced golfers, all of whom helped him in various ways, starting with his coach. "My coach back home. Edy Zamora," said Palacios. "He's someone I look up to a lot. He taught me how to approach golf and be humble about it. I think those values really stuck with me, helping me stay humble and work."
Β He also received advice from two of the best players in his home country. "Jose Toledo is right now the best player in Guatemala and plays professionally," said Palacios. "He's had some key points that I've looked up to, but mainly his golf game is something I've looked up to a lot. Another amateur player, Alejandro Villavicencio, he's taken me under his wing the last couple of years. He's an older player, but I've learned so much from him."
While golf was a constant presence in Palacios' life growing up and the time he spent with his coaches continued to hone his skills, it took a very specific event to transform his enjoyment of the sport into a passion that made him want to see how good he could be. It also made him realize what the next step in his journey would be.
"When the pandemic hit, I was around 14 or 15," said Palacios. "I was playing golf and loved it but I wasn't that passionate about it. I played almost every day, but at that time, everything was shut down and when they told us we couldn't be on the course, that's when the love started to kick in. When I knew I couldn't play every day, that's when I knew I wanted to do this for the rest of my life. Going four months without a golf club, I came back and started to get addicted to it and I knew the next step towards my dream of being a professional player is going through college."
The Guatemala City native soon began his search for a school that would give him the opportunity to spend the next four years on the golf course while also working towards a degree. In the beginning of the recruiting process, however, there was one thing he didn't want to have to tolerate at whatever destination he would find himself. "I ruled out the cold at first," said Palacios. "I was very scared of the cold because it never snows where I'm from."
Despite that initial sentiment, Palacios was soon contacted by Utah head coach Garrett Clegg and found some common ground with the program's head man. "After playing a tournament," said Palacios, "coach Clegg reached out to me. First impression-wise, I really liked him. I had couple of calls with him and we had the same mindset about competitiveness. We clicked from the first moment we met. Our mindsets are very similar and our golf games align very well."
During one of his visits to Utah, Palacios was also impressed by the level of comradery on the team and how close the squad is. "When I visited," he said, "I remember when I came to the facility, everyone was there. It was incredible how everyone got along and that's something I didn't see at other universities. It really impacted me and was something I really wanted and being away from home, having a group of players I fit into was something I was really looking forward to.
"The second I got back to our hotel, I told my dad I'm going to spend the next four years of my life here."
When Palacios arrived on campus for the start of his freshman season in the fall of 2023, one of the first goals was to get adjusted to the highly-competitive environment of Division I golf. He quickly went to work with coach Clegg to learn the lessons necessary to continue improving and honing his craft. "He's taught me what the difference is playing in different places," said Palacios. "Small things like the elevation in Guatemala and now playing in places like Washington, where the ball flies less and the wind is denser. There's a lot of factors that he's helping me with a lot."
Palacios also said Clegg has been consistent with one specific message. "Miss in the right places," said Palacios. "On the course, he's been very persistent about missing in the right places, don't be short-sighted, have the opportunity to make a par and make a birdie."
These lessons have contributed to a lot of growth as a golfer and a student-athlete in just a few months on campus. While Palacios is still striving to get better, his hard work has already started to yield positive results. "On the golf course, I've evolved exponentially," he said "I've had couple mental issues at times, but I've felt much more complete. People have told me listen to coach Clegg and that's what I've been doing and, mentally, I've gotten so much better."
In his first semester in Salt Lake City, Utah's golfer from Guatemala participated in three tournaments, two of them as an individual, with his best performance coming at the Minnesota Golf Classic in September, where he shot 4-under and earned a spot in the top 10. What remains for Palacios and his teammates during the 2023-24 campaign is a spring slate that consists of six events before the Pac-12 Tournament in April. The freshman's plan is to spend the winter continuing to work towards the objective he has for the second half of the year.
"I want to be in the lineup as much as possible in the spring," said Palacios. "That's the main goal I'm going to reach for and work for. The whole winter break, Guatemala's weather is going to let me practice more. Apart from that, I want my team to succeed. We have so much talent and I think we can do great things if we put our mind to it, but we have to work for it."
It wasn't that long ago that Gabriel Palacios was uncertain about what his future in golf would hold. But after a period of his life without the sport that ignited his enthusiasm for the game, working with some of the best teachers his home country has to offer and finding a home at a program comprised of student-athletes he felt an immediate connection with, Palacios is loving life as a Ute. He's prepared to continue working to make his family, teammates and coaches proud.
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