Huskies Get Stung by a Few Hornets

The varsity golf team traveled to a familiar golf course today to take on the Proctor Hornets. Our home course Laconia CC was closed for the day for aeration of the greens. Canterbury Woods CC has been extremely accommodating to our spring golf season, and today they once again made room for our team to host a match at their course. With the golf season underway and tee times going fast to the general public, Canterbury Woods held times for us, and other Lakes Region Schools, over the past few weeks, to help keep our season on schedule. 

Today, the team was informed just before teeing off, that we would be going off the back nine. Only one player in the starting line up for the Huskies had played the back nine at Canterbury. None of the players from Proctor had ever played the back nine. It was a very neutral match. There were a couple new faces in the Huskies starting rotation this afternoon, due to starters Will and Nate having to miss the match because of IB exams. Alternates, Sean Treadwell a senior, and freshman Colin Flanders earned the spots along with junior Grady Moore.

This meant that everybody was going to play in different spots than they are used to playing in. Three of the six starters, Mark Belcher, Jack Kidd and Eli Arvidson have started all season in their respective spots in the line up. Today, they all moved up, and each one of them stood tall to the challenge. Mark took the number one spot and Jack took the number two spot. We spoke before the match, and they knew what they had to do in order to try and help the team earn a victory, despite having two key starters Will and Nate, missing from the line up. They did all that a twosome could do. They both won their matches and combined their efforts to win the best ball point. 

Mark fired off yet another impressive round, carding a three over par, 39. With four pars, four bogeys, and a birdie, Mark went down one to his opponent after five holes played. He parred three of the last four holes to win the match on the 18th, up two. He started his match with a birdie. That is exactly how you make a statement in your match and set a tone. His opponent stood strong, but was worn down with Marks golf game and course management. Mark has been a solid starter in the front of the rotation all season, and today’s line up shift, did nothing to change that. 

Jack went back and forth in his match. Up one, even, down one, even, up one, even, after six holes. Then finally said enough is enough, and went par, birdie, par on the way in to close out the match on the 17th green. The 17th is not an easy par three. A par is welcome score on that hole. So a birdie to win the match on that green is that much more satisfying. Jack shot a colorful 43, with plenty of holes showing that his game is coming right back into form. 

Eli took to the tee in the three spot and squared off against a worthy opponent. Eli has been in the five spot all season. So this move up in the line up was going to test his game and focus. He proved that he was up to the task. Eli led the match through four holes, til his opponent got it back to all square. It stayed that way till the final green. The result of this match is not necessarily a loss for Eli, but more of a win for his opponent. When you battle and grind in a match the way Eli and his opponent did, there is no loser in the match, only a winner.
Eli shot a solid round of eight over par, one shot better than a bogey golf round, 44. His opponent shot one better and closed the match out on the final hole.

Newcomer to the line up and close friend and regular playing partner on weekends to Eli, freshman Colin Flanders earned a spot in the rotation. In order to try and allow the two of them to play a round of golf that they are used to, relaxed and carefree, they were paired together. Regardless of Colin’s scoring in previous practice rounds, we felt that pairing Colin and Eli together would benefit both of them. You often play your best golf when your playing with a friend. Colin shot a respectable round alongside his playing partner, but unfortunately his opponent had few shots better and closed the match out early. Were pretty sure we’ll be seeing more of Colin in the line up going forward, and we’re excited to watch his game progress.

Playing in the five spot today was Grady Moore, Grady has continued to improve many parts of his game over the past couple weeks to allow him a few consecutive starts in the rotation. Grady played a bogey golf round of nine over par. A 45 is a score that you would hope for from your number five starter. He did exactly what was asked of him. However, his opponent, also playing in the five spot, which was a different spot than he played in for our previous match against Proctor, shot an even par round of 36. Quite impressive for a number five starter. In fact, that was the lowest round recorded for the day from Proctor or New Hampton. An even par round from a number five starter is tough to beat. Even for the number one and two starters. The loss in this match helped Proctor get their first win for the season. 

Starting in the six spot today was a coaches pick, although his nine hole score in our practice round the evening before was low enough to have qualified him for the spot. Prior to the practice round, senior Sean Treadwell was informed that all his hard work and efforts that he has put into his game all season, had paid off. Sean has improved so much over the past couple months that the two coaches felt he was extremely deserving and worthy of the start. Sean earned the spot, he wasn’t just picked because we like him or he’s a senior. He earned it. When asked at the end of his match if he had fun? His smile said it all.

That is a win in our book.