There are worse spots to play with other kids. Located on the site of what was once Ford Ord, the main garrison for the army’s 7th Infantry Division, the 36-hole facility has long been overlooked because of its neighbors, Pebble Beach and Cypress Point. But the entire area, Seaside, where Bayonet and Black Horse sit, Monterey, Carmel and Pebble Beach puts life into perspective for all who experience its scenic majesty, a fact not lost on Mina, who is now 31 and still looking for her first LPGA Tour victory after a stellar amateur and Symetra Tour career.

“Being able to play golf and do this for a living is something that I never take for granted,” she said. “There are all kinds of ups and downs in golf, like with everything else in life, but you’re playing golf. That puts things in the right perspective, for sure.”

Mina went to the Stevenson School in Pebble Beach where her high school golf team played its home matches on Spyglass Hill. She won the California Women’s Amateur Championship at age 12 and went on to win the title a total of four times. Then, at 17, she won the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links and committed to Duke, one of the preeminent women’s golf schools in the country. Throughout that time, her teacher was the legendary pro Jim Langley from Cypress Point.

It’s easy for a young person to take such extraordinary opportunities for granted, to lack some level of gratitude for the gifts bestowed upon you by your address and the recreational facilities at your disposal. But Mina always knew that she was blessed. She learned that from her parents.

“My mom came to America when she was 12,” Mina said. “My dad came over from Japan when he was in his 20s to go to culinary school. They’ve had a Japanese restaurant in Monterey (called Takara, one of the most popular sushi spots on the Peninsula) for a long time and they’re working every day. They literally work every day. It started small, really just a (food) stand, almost. But it has grown. They’ve been able to raise a family because of the hard work and dedication that they put into that business.

“That was their American dream and they realized it. They’re still realizing it every day. And because of them, I was able to pursue my American dream of playing professional golf. Our family and the friends my parents developed through owning the restaurant helped me through my junior and amateur career. As a young person, you don’t know how much junior golf costs. You have no idea. Now, I realize what a sacrifice it was for my family for me to play the events I played and do the things I was able to do in the game. The people who helped are still friends to this day. They still follow me and want to know what is happening with me. It’s a great bond that has been created.”

She also has a bond to her family background and the nature of their American immigrant story.

“I’m so proud of my Japanese heritage and culture,” Mina said. “At the same time, growing up in California and now living in Arizona, I am about as American as you can get. That’s one of the greatest things about being Asian American. I’ve got the best of two worlds. I appreciate it every day. And I don’t ever forget it.”