Led by senior captains Annette Vargas and Delaney Carter, the girls golf teams drag their club filled bags and excitement for the season out to the golf course. Although some players were able to practice a few times over the winter in golf domes, most are playing for the first time in months.

“Unlike indoor sports,” junior Cait Gibbons said, “it’s hard to practice actual golf over the winter because of the snow and cold.”

With the early end to winter cold, the weather has been ideal for golfing.

“I’m just glad it’s sort of sunny and that the snow melted before the season started so we don’t have to golf in it,” junior Sabrina Brown said.

Varsity and JV co-head coach Jim Tisel returned from his sabbatical this year and leads the golf team once again. In addition, varsity co-head coach Amanda Dlugopolski joins the team for her first year coaching at SPA.

“Coach D has a great sense of humor and she really improved my swing” sophomore Maria Perkkio said.
The girls golf team practices every day after school, usually at Highland Golf Course or sometimes at Somerset Country Club.

“During most practices we just do 9 holes, then some practice at the driving range,” Brown said.

“Our goals for this year are to reduce the amount of circle 10s we get so we can get the least amount of points possible and beat Minnehaha,” Carter said.
With a more experienced team than last year, the girls are also hoping to have some individuals make it to state this year.

The laid back atmosphere of practices allow for a lot of time for team bonding. “We only have a couple new people. We all get along really well though, and that makes practices so much fun,” Perkkio said.

Most matches are 9 holes, except for sections where competitors play a 18 hole course. In matches, players start in pairs and play alongside a pair from the opposing team. After the first shot, players take turns until all the balls make it to the hole.

“The etiquette is that the farthest person from the hole goes first,” Brown said.

Upcoming matches include v. Breck at Somerset Country Club on Apr. 30 at 3:15 p.m. and an 18-hole match against conference competitors at Goodrich Golf Course at noon on May 5.