Girls golf team prepares for season

Kaylee Kellogg, Graphics Editor|April 20, 2023

Photo by Kaylee Kellogg

Eighth grader, Avery Crickenberger practicing her swing at Oak Glen golf course. The girls golf team is finally able to get outside and practice.

This year, the girls’ golf team has many new players and is hoping to have a successful season. The team started practicing on March 20. However, their outdoor practice was delayed due to the late winter this year. 

Students are able to join the team as early as seventh grade. The team has competitions for both JV and varsity teams so members can compete at their right levels. 

Golf coach Philip Herder said his favorite part about being a coach is seeing the girls improve over time and seeing their development throughout the years. 

One of the team members, junior Vyan Abdullah, has been on the team since seventh grade. She said that one of her favorite courses to golf is the Jewel golf course. 

“As a team, I’d like to see us get a lot closer and just get to know everybody,” Abdullah explained.

This year, almost half of the team is new players. Quite a few seniors on the team graduated last year leaving open leadership roles. 

Herder said he is “excited to see what we have and where the team settles.”

With snowstorms happening just as their season was starting, the team was not able to practice outside. When there was still snow on the ground the team prepared indoors by going over rules and practicing at the Good Rich Golf Dome in St.Paul.

“I’m just looking forward to like getting out and playing,” Abdullah added. 

Team members all prepare in their own ways, but one of the most common ways students practice during the off-season is with private instructors and at indoor golf ranges. Some of the girls prefer to practice year-round to work on the technical components of their swing. 

Herder explained that students that have higher expectations for themselves and hope to play golf post-high school often get a swing instructor or play at indoor golf domes to have constant exposure. 

This season the team is hoping to do well at their conferences, sections and at State. Additionally, they just want to play a sport they love and have fun doing. 

“Everybody gets along well, but there’s still a good competitive atmosphere to like keep everybody doing their best and working hard,” Abdullah said.

Golf allows players to play so many different ways and in all sorts of conditions. Each course has a different atmosphere causing the players to adjust their swing, accuracy, and distance. 

Herder loves to golf and said one of his favorite parts about the sport is the challenge. 

Although the team had some setbacks as the season was starting, the girls are excited to be back on the greens and are ready to play.