On Oct. 3, the Girls Varsity Golf Team took on Mills for their fourth game of the season. After two and a half hours of heated rounds in the intense sun, the dons were victorious in beating Mills, with an overall score of 224.
Sophomore Valerie Chen says, “The game was good. Kelly Fang shot her best score. I matched my best score, and everyone else did pretty well. I got a 42, Kelly got a 35.”
Coach Guy Oling says, “[Before the game], I just get them focused on the match, make sure they feel confident because they are quite capable, and also just point out what they need to do. Every hole is a new beginning. If they have a great hole, stay focused and they can do it again. If they have a bad hole, then start again on the next hole and it’s a new beginning.”
Since starting the season with strong results, Sophomore Kelly Fang remarks, “We’ve actually been doing pretty well this season. Last year we lost to Burlingame both times, but this year, we beat Burlingame both times which puts us in second place.” Other members of the team, including Junior Jacqueline Pei and Senior Jessica Mallos agreed, saying, “Our season has just been amazing.”
Additionally, Oling commends the team and says, “The Aragon Girl’s Golf team is doing very well. We are now 8-1, and we have only one loss to the very good San Mateo team. Right now, we’re in second place, but we have a chance to beat San Mateo.”
As for the obstacles that the team overcomes in the game, Fang says, “Putting is the most stressful part of the game because it requires a lot of precision. If you went just a little bit out of line, it could mean missing the punt,” she adds, “You drive for the show but putt for the dough.”
Pei says, “The most stressful part is when you’re playing badly on a hole; the ball isn’t going where you want it to go, like when the shot was great but it slowly rolled into the sand bunker. But then you just tell yourself that it’s not too late to recover and it’s always better to recover than just give up.”
The strength of the team lies in its support. Mallos says, “We all get along and are really supportive no matter what.” Pei adds, “Even if you do badly, they’ll still support you.”
The team credits its success to the hard work invested during practice. The team practices at both Poplar Creek Golf Course and Mariner’s Point driving range. Oling remarks, “[During practice] we try to not only get golf strategy and how to play the course but also [work] on the different clubs. There are up to 14 clubs you can use in your bag and obviously they have a variety of uses and distances. So not only do we work on the ability to hit the ball, but also strategies on the golf course.”
Pei says, “Mr. Oling gives you tips and tricks to better your stance and swing. But not only that, he lightens the mood so you feel comfortable and relaxed, which is really the whole essence of golf. I mean, you can’t not lighten up after one of his awesome puns.”
In addition to the strategic aspect of practice, Sophomore Caroline DiGioacchino says, “There’s a lot of talking during practice, but that’s what makes it so much fun—being able to connect with your teammates.”
Despite starting a new season, the core of last year’s team remains. Fang comments, “We’ve gotten more consistent. We’ve improved a lot since last year because we are consistently scoring the scores we thought were impossible last year.”
Oling says, “We’ve improved. Each individual has improved their game to the point where, not only is Kelly the best player from last year, Valerie Chen has improved immensely, Lindsey Block has improved. Our seniors have really stepped it up—that’s Cheena Sakoma and Jessica Mallos. Both of them have taken on leadership roles and have really given us a lot of depth.”
As a returning team member, Mallos says, “Being a senior on the team is really fun because we are the ones with the most experience of how the league plays, so we can help the younger players learn the rules. It’s much more easygoing as a senior.” Additionally, the support and
encouragement fostered by Oling propels the team forward. Fang says, “Mr. Oling will never put you down. Instead, he simply accentuates your good points and he’ll tell you to fix your weak points. He loves to joke around and usually does it to take away some of the stress.”
Chen adds, “Oling’s a great coach. He’s encouraging and positive one hundred percent of the time.”
Praising the strong start and a promising future, Oling says, “We’re solid all the way through. Everybody contributes—every single person contributes. Everybody’s score is important.”
