When a 6-year-old Alison Lee played at par-3 courses with her father, she had no idea that the course her life would take would be so different. With a rising career, including several top-10 finishes, two LET titles, and the path of motherhood, Lee has experienced the full spectrum. Having tasted all of it, Lee has an important piece of advice for every young girl looking to start her career in golf. Lee, speaking with Meg Adkins and Matthew Galloway on the Fried Egg Golf podcast, shares the exact time one needs to decide whether they want to turn pro.

“The moment you decide to turn pro, I feel like the timing needs to be right and needs to work out.” More than ranks, her emphasis lies on self-reflection. “I feel like when these young girls try and figure out when they want to turn pro or try and figure out when the time is right, I feel like you just need to reflect inward, kind of, and see what, like, where you are, where you stand,” Lee said on the Fried Egg Golf Podcast.

If one follows the trajectory of Lee’s career, it will not take a hard time to figure out that she is speaking from experience. Her golf resume was overflowing with accolades years before she decided to become a pro.

Lee was an AJGA First-Team All-American for six consecutive years (2008-13), claiming nine wins on her way. She was a part of three victorious Junior Solheim Cup teams, represented the US in Junior Ryder Cups, and competed in the Curtis Cup.

More success followed when she joined UCLA. As a freshman, she won the inaugural ANNIKA Award and held the world’s No. 1 amateur spot for 16 weeks. These achievements were enough motivation for her to leave college and turn pro.

“I accomplished so much, and I felt like returning and staying in college another year, like, I didn’t have more to prove, like, playing professional golf, and I felt like my game was ready.”

In December 2014, after just a season and a half at UCLA, she turned pro, earning her LPGA Tour card with a first-place tie at Qualifying School at 10-under par. But even a flawless amateur run couldn’t protect her from golf’s unpredictability.

“With golf, you just never know what’s going to happen. I know for me, after turning pro, I had a really good rookie year, and then a couple years down the road, I really struggled for a few years.”

Her 2015 rookie season was outstanding—six top-10 finishes, a career-best third at the Kingsmill Championship, over $600,000 earned, and a Solheim Cup qualification. But as always, success doesn’t come without its share of challenges.

Between 2017-2020, Lee struggled. Those were her “dark years” as she collapsed, making just four cuts in 16 events, and earning barely $12,000. She was forced to return to Q-School. But those were just the part and parcel of a person for whom life had so much in store.

Alison Lee found her footing again in 2021. By 2023, she’d earned over $1.4 million and finished 19th on the LPGA money list, with three runner-up finishes and another title on the Ladies European Tour. And through all this, she could not be more satisfied with her decision to turn pro.

“So, yeah, if you feel like your game is ready and you can play at a professional level, I think whether you’re 17, 18, or 23, 24, I don’t think there’s the right path…Everyone’s going to have a different path.”

Life is coming full circle for Lee. She was 8 weeks pregnant when she helped the US win the Solheim Cup. Despite a troubling pregnancy, she was back on course in just 18 weeks. 

Although her performance faltered initially, she was very close to reaffirming her status in women’s golf, had the weather not hindered her goals.

Her ranks are currently frozen, as part of the LPGA’s maternity policy, although she has expressed her concerns about it. The point is, one can expect to see Alison Lee back on track next year when she rejoins golf full-time. And so one can say, her leaving UCLA to find her way into the world of women’s golf was the right one.

Yet she still advises young golfers to think twice before making the same leap.

‘Girls should go to college,’ says Alison Lee

Although she left UCLA just months after she started, Alison Lee soon realised the importance of college and went back to earn her degree in 2017. She now holds a Bachelor’s in Communication Studies. Speaking on the same podcast, Lee emphasizes that other young girls should do the same.

“I mean, obviously, I’m biased. I think a lot of girls should go to college, even if it’s for one or two years, because I feel like I learned so much, not just with school, but I learned a lot about myself, about my golf game.”

Lee’s advice draws on examples from other young golfers. Backing up Rose Zhang and Lottie Woad, she says, “I think with what Lottie did, with what Rose did, I think it was perfect timing as the stars aligned.”

Zhang, despite turning professional in 2023, chose to remain enrolled at Stanford. With a similar degree to Alison’s, in Communication, she kept golf on the side, becoming the first woman in NCAA history to win back-to-back individual championships, claiming 12 collegiate titles in just 20 events.

“There have been a lot of interesting opinions on my decision. Many people believe that I should prioritize my career. Many people are impressed with the balance of the two. I think this is important for my self-growth and the longevity of what I want to do later on,” Zhang told Forbes once.

Similarly, Woad’s story is equally compelling. At Florida State University (FSU), she set a program record with a career scoring average of 70.42, won five tournaments, and earned multiple All-American honors before turning professional. Like Lee, Woad also left FSU early this year to turn pro, but not without a spectacular GPA of 3.75 in Sports Management.

So, of course, there is a reason why young and talented golfers like these are choosing to focus on college. “You gain beyond scorecards,” says Lee. And indeed it is true. With so much exposure, independence, and a window into the life of athletes, college is surely beneficial for the formative years of many golfers.

Lee’s perspective also stands in contrast to golfers who turned professional early, like Lexi Thompson. Thompson made headlines when she went pro at just 15, becoming one of golf’s youngest stars. But with that early fame came immense pressure and burnout. While her talent was undeniable, the constant scrutiny and emotional toll took years to manage. In many ways, Lee’s call for balance and education serves as a counterpoint — a reminder that even the most gifted golfers need time, maturity, and self-awareness to build a lasting career.