After two heartbreaking personal losses, Lisa Marie Brantly was able to move on by returning to her love of golf and is now inspiring and educating people with her skill, love, and authenticity.
KATY MAGAZINE | May 2018
By Jennifer Skelton & Ashley Lancaster
Lisa Marie is a hometown girl, growing up in Katy and graduating from Katy High in 2002. Her love of golf began at age 12, when her dad took her to the old Uniland driving range that used to be on the corner of Kingsland and Westgreen. One swing, and she discovered a lifelong passion that would carry through life's ups and downs.
Discovering Passion in Her Early Years
Lisa Marie’s dad introduced her to the sport when she was in middle school. "After introducing me to golf at the driving range, he convinced me to try out for my junior high team at West Memorial and to my surprise I actually made it.
I had only been hitting at the range for about a week so after I made the team my dad put me in lessons at The Club at Cinco Ranch," she says. In addition to playing golf for Katy High School, she was also a member of the Katy High School Bengal Brigade.
Returning to Her First Love
After attending Blinn College, Lisa Marie married her college sweetheart. They wanted to start a family and her love of the sport was set aside so that she could start a family. A few years after a heartbreaking miscarriage, Lisa Marie’s son, Haden, was born, and he became her greatest joy. Little did she know that hard times were about to befall her little family.
Shortly after Haden turned one, her now ex-husband left Lisa and their son for another woman. "That time was very difficult, but I put all my energy into being a good mom and figuring out how I was going to make ends meet," she says. Alone for the first time to provide for herself and her son, Lisa Marie was in dire straits, and needed to discover something she loved again.
On the weekends that Haden went with his father following the divorce, Lisa found herself at home...alone. Determined to pass the time in a fun and healthy way, she dusted off her old clubs and headed out to the driving range. On the green, the old hobby, set aside for so many years, quickly turned into a burning passion. "Having suffered a miscarriage, then having to share custody of a child we tried so long to have, golf became the only thing that no one could take away from me," she says. "All I wanted to do was play every chance I could get. I was determined to get really good again and it helped keep me sane during a very difficult time."
In the rediscovery of her first love, Lisa Marie realized that this is what she was meant to do. She started playing tournaments and doing well, which led to sponsorship. Lisa Marie’s encouraging and infectiously happy personality led her to gain a following on Instagram and Facebook. She felt so blessed by the sport and the doors opened for her that she wanted to spread the blessings with others. She began organizing golf events for women and free golf clinic for vets with PTSD.
Tee Up With Lisa Marie
Two years later, Lisa Marie is in awe of the opportunities she has been given to do so many amazing things in the golf community. For example, she hosts and co-produces a weekly golf program called “Tee Up with Lisa Marie”, representing golf and its lifestyle in the Houston area, and also volunteers her time for local organizations.
Lisa Marie started her own company, GOLF ON Media & Entertainment, which features events and activities and interviews players, making them feel like the star of the show. The show has given her the chance to rub elbows with some very talented professionals. When asked who she most wants to interview, Lisa says, "I’m hoping to meet my golf crush Adam Scott one day!"
From charity golf tournaments,outings, to special feature experiences at Pro Am’s, whatever it may be, GOLF ON captures it all, delivering exciting golf entertainment and production for every event.
The Future
Lisa’s candor, passion, and authenticity about her struggles and how she overcame her painful divorce, inspire women and single mothers.
"I feel very blessed that I was able to take something negative and turn it into something positive. None of this would have been possible without my supportive family and the skills my dad taught me as a young girl."
