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Experiences group looks to compete in tournaments consistently with balanced scoring
August 31, 2009 —
With the graduation of first team all GLIAC member Kasey Hocquard, some might think that this is a rebuilding year for the men’s golf team.
Twelve of the 20 members on the team are either freshmen or red-shirt freshmen. Although the team might seem young, that is quite the opposite, according to senior golfer Jonathan Lange.
“In golf, you play five guys but only four of the scores count towards the team total, so having four seniors is actually really good. Along with them, we also have other guys that have college golf experience so when it comes down to it, the core of our team is relatively experienced.” Lange said.
Filling the shoes of Hocquard is something that not just one player can do, said senior golfer Rob Ronk.
“Kasey was one of the best players I have ever played with. I don’t think we have one guy that can completely replace Kasey, but we do have some guys that have had very solid summers so our scoring should be very balanced,” Ronk said.
While last year the team relied heavily on Hocquard to shoot low scores, this year should be different with the returning experienced players.
“We didn’t give Kasey a lot of scoring support in tournaments last season and that was disappointing,” Ronk said. “Our top guys can all shoot par or better on any given day, which means we should be able to compete in every tournament we enter.”
The Cardinals first tournament is at home Sunday, Sept. 13 at the Bay City Country Club. Both Ronk and Lange are excited to start off playing on familiar ground.
“A lot of our guys are excited for our first tournament, especially because it’s at home. We have the opportunity to gain some confidence by playing in our backyard to get the season going.” Ronk said.
With golf being unlike many sports because each individual plays his own game, Lange is looking forward to what he can bring to the team individually.
“I’m feeling good about my game heading into the season. As long as I can continue to make putts, I feel like I can help the team compete and win some tournaments,” Lange said.
With the season right around the corner, the team is anticipating that help from experienced players will can build a foundation the younger players can learn from.
“I just think very highly of the guys on the team and I believe that we are going to do big things this season,” Lange said.