After qualifying for the second day of the Section tournament last year, Senior Otis Walvatne said he looks to improve for the upcoming season.

“My personal goal for the year is to go to the state tournament and my team goal is to place in the top four in the conference,” Walvatne said.

Head coach Mike Okey said he shares high hopes for Walvatne and the rest of the returning seniors for the upcoming season. He said that he has noticed Walvatne’s work ethic and consistency as two of his top traits as a golfer.

“Otis has improved each year, and I have no reason to believe that trend won’t continue this year,” Okey said, “He is very consistent in both his golf game and demeanor.”

Walvatne said that having played golf since the fifth grade, and played competitively since eighth grade, he still enjoys the sport for its challenging nature.

“The hardest part about golf is staying composed when your not playing well. I play golf for the individual and competitive side of the game. Also the nature of the game, it’s you versus the course. There’s no other sport like it,” Walvatne said.

Okey said the experience Walvatne has as a golfer has helped him in his high school career.

“Otis is one of the smartest golfers on the team and has a broad depth of knowledge when it comes to swing mechanics,” Okey said.

Okey said that Walvatne uses his experience as a player to encourage his teammates to improve. He said that Walvatne acts as a leader, both on and off the course.

“I expect all of our players to act like leaders and Otis has really stepped up this year. He is consistently helping others with their swings when they are hitting,” Okey said.

Walvatne said that he hopes to play golf at the Division III level next year in college. He said that despite looking forward to the future, he still cherishes his experiences with the golf team throughout his high school career.

“My favorite golf memory was shooting 1 under par in a high school match and just hanging with the boys,” Walvatne said.