With golf season about to start, students and coaches have high expectations for the season.
Wendell Smith, coach of both the men’s and women’s golf team said that heading into theseason they have a young men’s team that has tremendous potential and the women’s team is down a little in numbers.
However, he feels very good about their team chemistry right now.
Plans and goals for both teams are to win the KCAC this year and compete for an opportunity to go to the NAIA National Tournament. With practice, they will continue to build towards a consistent team score.
“This spring season we only have four girls, which means that all scores have to count for a team total. This is going to be a challenge compared to the past when we have had five golfers,” junior communications major Laura Reed said.
The men’s team is going through a competitive stage right now. The golfers are currently competing amongst each other for the top five spots on the team.
Those individuals that don’t make the top five will be competing as individualists.
“Our main goal for the season is to contend for the conference title, which I think we have a good shoot at if we played to our potential,” Cliff Mishler said.
“The men’s team should be in the top three teams in our conference, but we could surprise some people if we play our absolute best.
The KCAC doesn’t have a full women’s conference yet, but our women’s team will have a regional qualifier for nationals in Oklahoma City at the end of April,” Smith said.
The first men’s tournament is March 8-9 at Bethany and the first women’s tournament will be March 22-23 at Southwestern.