Cheers emerged from the crowd of golfers and parents as Coach Andrew Roberts contemplated which section of the pond had fewer algae. He hesitated for a moment, walking back towards the parking lot, shaking his head. At Woodcreek Golf Course, Roberts ran through the thick grass, which was covered in waste from the geese, and leapt right into the center of the pond.

Cheers emerged from the crowd of golfers and parents as Coach Andrew Roberts contemplated which section of the pond had fewer algae. He hesitated for a moment, walking back towards the parking lot, shaking his head. At Woodcreek Golf Course, Roberts ran through the thick grass, which was covered in waste from the geese, and leapt right into the center of the pond.

The soaked coach, covered in thin layers of green, walked up to his players, who were bright, tomato-red from giggling. Roberts made good on his promise to jump in the pond to celebrate the undefeated Girls Varsity Golf Team in the Foothill Valley League, who secured their spots for playoffs.

West Park Girls Golf finished the season with an overall record of 12-1-1, placing first in their league. The girls won their last league tournament, shooting 492 strokes as a team and surpassed the second-place school, Lincoln, by an overwhelming 49 shots. This is the second year the team has accomplished this feat.

Tournaments are played as 18 holes and the top five scores in the group are added together for the team’s total score, similar to regular matches, which are only 9 holes. The purpose of golf is to take less strokes to the pin. Shooting low scores enabled the girls to move on to greater competition.
Going into playoffs, the golfers worked in full swing with great determination– prepping on the tee box, scouting for their ball in the fairway, and landing it softly on the green near the pin. They played at the Division III playoffs at Micke Grove Golf Links on October 25. The group fought hard, however, fell short of placing first or second to move on to masters.

After putting in for their last hole in the previous season, where the girls were 18-0, they represented their determination and serious efforts in golf during the off-season to be successful in the 2022 season. A sudden adjustment the team had to face was losing a valuable player that helped lead the group to victory in the 2021 season. Even if it shifted the future perspective for the girls, the returners and newcomers exceeded expectations and became strong golfers on their own during the off-season.

“This year’s team had a lot of experience going into the postseason since they [the returners] have been there before and understand what to expect going forward,” Roberts explained. The returners passed their experiences and knowledge to the newcomers for them to succeed overall. The girls worked through endless hours of heat practicing their way towards playoffs.

One of the skills the team focused on during practice was improving their short game. The short game in golf is when shots occur relatively close or on the green. These shots can either make or break golfers’ scores.

Co-Captain of the Girls Varsity Golf Team, Sophomore Brooklyn Barton saw major improvements in her short game from the drills performed at practice. “We had chipping and putting speed games where we would have pressure to compete to be the closest to the hole,” Barton stated. The friendly competition motivated her to beat her teammates to take a break in the shade. When someone makes it into the hole, the game resets.

To improve their long game, meaning shots made from the tee box or mostly far from the green, the girls spent half of their time swinging shots at the driving range. From there, they would generally work independently to practice their swing. Junior Co-Captain Lily Smith offered her expertise in how to swing correctly to her other teammates, being supportive to make a strong group.

Smith reflected that during the post and off-season, working with her swing coach enabled her to be more consistent in golf, assisting her to shoot her low round of 39 strokes in a match. Smith’s swing coach helped her find a swing that fits her best.

“They care so much about getting better that they are willing to do whatever they need to so they can improve, including taking constructive criticism and advice,” Roberts stated and added on to how the girls take the sport seriously and want to perform well. They had high expectations individually and as a team, therefore, they continued to push one another to focus. “This is far more beneficial than a coach placing expectations on a player where they feel the pressure that they have to perform at a certain level.”

Roberts’ job as a coach was providing his knowledge of playing the game and specific shots the girls would play when they are in trouble: under trees, in the bunker, or a hazard. “I have a saying that I use repeatedly with them and that is, ‘Be happy but don’t be satisfied.’”

Roberts mentioned this to the golfers after having a successful round, “…to let them know that they are playing well and getting better, but once they become satisfied then they won’t continue to improve because they’re content with where they are at.”

Becoming a skillful golfer requires being mentally content. Such a simple mistake or change with your club at impact with the ball can shift the whole outcome of the ball’s flight. It is very easy to get frustrated, as a result, staying calm is key. “The game of golf is 90% mental and 10% physical,” professional American golfer, Jack Nicklaus, repeatedly stated. Therefore, being positive and supportive in the team is a treasured characteristic for everybody to get along.

“Our team chemistry is extremely good and they congratulate each other even if they didn’t have the best day,” Roberts stated. The girls’ strong relationships allowed them to communicate about any obstacles they faced. Having close relationships further enabled the golfers to focus on improving their skills, which was beneficial throughout the season and playoffs. “We have such a positive group and there is an expectation within the team to work and they truly motivate one another.”

Despite the fact that other sports get more recognition, Girls Golf continues excelling due to their determination and chemistry. Though they surpassed expectations, being discontent with their wins allowed the girls to grow into bright golfers, so they could further develop their skills without being satisfied with their current scores. As Coach Roberts once said, “Winning is the desired outcome, but not a measure of success.”