Rain fails to dampen golfing spirit

Boys’ golf team ready for conference match despite weather

Senior+Kyle+Rounds+warms+up+before+his+conference+match+Friday+May+5.+Rounds%2C+before+the+match%2C+hit+rounds+of+golf+balls+on+the+driving+range+for+practice.+

Hanna Schechter

Senior Kyle Rounds warms up before his conference match Friday May 5. Rounds, before the match, hit rounds of golf balls on the driving range for practice.

Hanna Schechter and Maddie Lund

According to boy’s golf head coach Mike Okey, the team has cancelled more practices and matches due to weather in the last few weeks than they did during the entire season last year.

Junior captain Billy Nicholls said the rainy weather, by canceling practices, is influencing the team’s attitude.

“It’s made everyone frustrated. Everybody just really wants to get out there and play and when we don’t get to play and the weather is not even that bad it just makes everybody kind of mad,” Nicholls said.

According to Okey, it’s been tough not being able to practice with the team on a regular basis.

“It’s been horrible. I’ve lost count of how many practices we’ve cancelled. We’ve had to reschedule four matches,” Okey said.

Nicholls said he encourages teammates to go and play on their own because of the cancelled practices.

“The more that anyone can do, the better. So the more that we do on our own, like not a part of the school, will really help out the team,” Nicholls said.

Okey said the team, so far, has not been able to play their best without regular practices.

“Golf is one of those sports where if you step away from it you’re just not going to play your best,” Okey said.

According to Okey, the team has not been able to play indoors either, due to the unpredictable weather.

“You can’t just show up at a golf range, you kind of have to schedule that ahead of time so we don’t really know with the rain,” Okey said. “If it rains or if it’s too cold we’ll just cancel practice. So it’s been a bummer to miss all of those practices.”

Nicholls said that playing outdoors with the team is more helpful than hitting in doors.

“Well when you play outside you can see your ball flight and you can kind of, it’s more realistic because that is how we play in a match. When you’re inside you can (only) see like 40 yards. It’s just better outside,” Nicholls said.