Golf season kicks off yet another new season

Last month, with a roster virtually unchanged from last year, the boy’s golf team kicked off a new season with their first league match on February 28.

Golf is primarily an individual sport. However, players compete for a team score, with six golfers aiming to finish a nine-hole course (18 holes in championships) in fewer total strokes than the other team.

“You may have an outstanding player, but if you don’t have a balanced squad, you’re not going to win the match,” says coach Guy Oling.

The stroke play type of scoring differs from match play, in which players win and lose on individual holes.

“That definitely makes for some big score differences,” says senior and four-year golfer Ryan Spencer. “There will be some matches where we play a team that isn’t very good and we’d beat them by 100 strokes or something.”

The team typically practices at Poplar Creek Golf Course, where the team divides into small groups to play nine-hole matches. Occasionally, they also have driving range practices at Mariners Point.

“We work on course strategy: how are you going to play different distance shots, what club to use, what iron or wedge,” says Oling. “Say you have a 150-yard shot. It could depend on whether it’s downhill, uphill, wind, your strength – all those factors. It would be like a soccer player deciding whether to make a long or a short kick.”

“Practice is an opportunity to experiment with club selection,” says Oling. “If you’re not sure if a shot is a 6 iron or an 8 iron, you could try it with one, and you can learn from that.”

Practice also works on things like sand trap shots and difficult shots around trees. In particular, says Oling, “We work a lot on short game, right around the green.”

“As an individual I’d say that right now I’m working the most on my putting,” says Spencer. “Putting is the most important part of the game, and most of your shots consist of putts. A lot of people don’t realize that.”

Aragon’s home course is the Peninsula Golf and Country Club, where they play most of their matches.

“In golf, you have a home course advantage,” says Oling. Unlike a basketball court or a soccer field, golf courses can vary widely, with different terrain and hazards, which can affect gameplay.

This year, the team has the benefit of being able to retain their most experienced players, due to low member turnover.

“We didn’t have any seniors on the team last year, so it’s basically the exact same team this year,” says junior and three-year Aragon golfer Jeremy Hardy. “So this is probably our best shot for going to CCS.”

“I feel like golf is a sport that not many people play, so it makes me feel unique,” says Hardy. “And I feel like we have a good golf team this year.”

As the season is just beginning, there are still numerous challenges ahead, with teams like Menlo-Atherton and Carlmont in the running for league champions.

However, the team is going in with a positive outlook. “We want to do as well as we possibly can,” says Spencer. “We’re going to try our best.”