Mikayla Schwindt

DICKINSON -- Mikayla Schwindt walked off the 18th hole at Fox Hills Golf Course in Watford City after a five-plus hour round of golf. The conditions were windy and hot. The Dickinson senior carded an 81 during the challenging conditions. Yet, her day on the course wasn’t quite over. She still had more golf to play.
Two more holes, in fact, to secure medalist honors. 
The playoff victory comes as no surprise to those who have watched her game progress over the past few seasons. She is among the best golfers in the conference in scoring average, posting five top 10 finishes.
“Mikayla is a solid performer that has mentally matured throughout the years,’’ said Dickinson coach John Spry. “Over the past few seasons she doesn’t get flustered. She’s never afraid to strike the ball with power. Even starting out, her biggest strength is her accuracy off the tee.”
For Schwindt, golf is far more than just a sport—it is an exercise in self-reliance, mental toughness, and personal growth. Now in her final stretch as a six-year staple of the Mavericks’ program, Schwindt’s steady climb to becoming one of the squad’s core leaders reflects a journey built on patience and hard work. Her introduction to the game began around 2018 at summer youth camps in nearby South Heart. While she wasn’t a regular on the competitive summer tournament circuit, her dedication took a major turn after her freshman year. 
Between her freshman and sophomore years, Schwindt began pouring extra time into her craft, laying the foundation for a breakout stretch.
"The thing that I love most about golf is how it is a team game, but also a game with yourself," Schwindt said. "You are still playing for the team, but you must play against yourself when you are out on the course, because you are the only one who knows how to fix your game."That individual battle extends into the mental side of the sport, where four-plus hours on 18 holes can test any golfer's composure. 
For Schwindt, embracing the mental grind has become one of her favorite challenges, teaching her to stay positive and talk herself through inevitable rough patches. Those mental strides paired with mechanical breakthroughs late last season, when Schwindt’s game clicked into high gear down the stretch.
"Something that clicked at the end of last year was the short game aspect," Schwindt noted. "Off the tee I’d say my game was good, but it was the short game that would always tank my score. It’s something that my coach told me: if I can get this down, you can go low."
That was evident at last year’s state tournament at the Fargo Country Club. For two days on a tough course, Mikayla showed her talents. “I always tell my players my goal, is they don’t need,’’ Spry said. “She gave me a gift last year a state. I followed her for two days, and I got to see some wonderful golf.”
This fall, the senior is focused on translating those individual gains into a historic team finish. Dickinson hasn't advanced to the state tournament as a full squad since Schwindt’s freshman season, making a team qualification the top priority for her final WDA campaign.
"The goal coming into this year for the team was to make it to state as a team, not just a couple of individuals," she said. "My goal was to qualify for state and help my team place high at the WDA tournament."
Sharing that senior pursuit alongside her is a familiar face: her younger sister, Maycee. Having a sibling in the program provides both built-in competition and an honest second set of eyes.
"Having her on the team is amazing," Schwindt said. "Even if we argue, it's always good for me to have someone to compete against, even if we are just playing in the summer. We work together helping each other with our game. If something is wrong in my game, she will tell me without hesitation.”
With the postseason fast approaching, the reality of her high school career wrapping up is beginning to set in. Because the Dickinson golf program operates as a three-school cooperative, Schwindt says the tight-knit bonds formed across the players will be the toughest part to leave behind.
"It is crazy to think that something I have played for six years is almost over," said Schwindt, who attends Dickinson Trinity. "In our program we have three schools that co-op (Dickinson High, Trinity High and Hope Christian Academy), and those are the friendships that I will miss. I will also miss all the people who I have met along the way in tournaments."

Looking ahead to life after graduation, Schwindt plans to attend Bismarck State College to pursue a degree in pre-physical therapy before transferring to complete her physical therapy training. While she hopes to get into coaching down the road, she hasn't ruled out the possibility of continuing her golf career at the collegiate level. For now, her focus remains squarely on the greens ahead—taking it one hole at a time and leading Dickinson toward the finish line.

Photo courtesy of Ron Dazell