Golf team works to build experience

Senior Jake Richmond prepares to swing on the green at the 2021 state golf meet. Richmond hopes to qualify for state this year.

With only two out of five varsity golfers returning from last year, Yutan High School’s golf team will be putting their trust in the underclassmen. While being less experienced than past years, golf coach Taylor Teeter is looking forward to this season.

“I believe we have some solid younger guys who are ready to step up to the next level for us this year,” Teeter said. 

With the addition of new varsity golfers, the returning varsity members are excited to see how this year’s season will go. 

“I’m excited for my teammates. I think it’s going to be a fun golf season,” senior Jake Richmond said. 

Because the team has less experience, Teeter is looking forward to helping the golfers improve their technique.

This year we’re going to be working a lot on being consistent fundamentally in order to put up the best scores we can,” said Teeter.

Teeter is also hoping for an opportunity to return to state this year.

“We want to remain competitive with the top teams at all of our meets and try to make another appearance at the state meet,” said Teeter.

The golfers have set a variety of personal goals for themselves this season.

Junior Jude Elgert places his marker for the ball at a 2021 golf meet. One of Elgert’s goals for this season is to score better than last year.

“I want to make varsity golf,” sophomore Jack Edwards said. “I also want to just go out there and have fun.”

Other golfers are looking to improve on a specific golf skill that they may have struggled with in the past. 

“If I could improve my short game from last year, it would drastically change my scores,” junior Jude Elgert said. 

Some of the more experienced players are looking to qualify for state this year. 

“I bet I’ll make it to state this year and just do a little bit better,” said Richmond. “I know it’s probably not a very hard goal because I made it last year.”

While all of the golfers may have different individual goals for the season, they all share one goal: having fun. 

“My goals are just to get better and have fun,” said senior Ben Denly. “I’ve never really played, so I don’t have anything that I need to accomplish.”