Trio of returnees, two newcomers hit links for Monett
The Monett Girls Golf Team is working toward one big goal this season ?? qualify someone for the state.
There are five girls in the team’s squad, three of whom are returning. Senior Jisell Canales and Juniors Claire Nation and Alondra Arreola return, and the team is joined by Senior Anna Krueger and student Katie Geiss.
?? This was our third week of training and our returners are in the process of brushing up on things they need to work on and our new players are getting along well with playing just a short time, ?? said Brian Cox, Monett golf coach. ?? We are looking for the new girls who are improving a lot this year. The goal for our three returnees is to qualify for the state.
In the three years of the girls’ golf program, no girl at Monett has qualified for the state meeting, which means history could be made this season.
?? We talk a lot about the chance of being the first girl in Monett history and it’s pretty exciting to have those discussions in just three years ?? said Cox. I can talk about it a lot because I want it too badly, but I think we have a real chance this year. We have a couple who were close last year so they have this experience and are good enough to take the next step.
So far this season, the Lady Cubs have been struggling with intense heat and are traveling to the driving range.
?? We don’t have a driving range here so we went to the republic once a week and that helped, ?? said Cox. ?? We had this super hot weather and that limits us and slows us down, but that makes it for everyone else too. ??
Circles on this season’s schedule revolve primarily around the 9-hole matches with local schools known as the Big 4.
?? We have a series of 9 hole matches with Cassville, Mt. Vernon and Seneca and we call ourselves the Big 4, ?? said Cox. ?? The selection ranges from two-man to team scrambles, which vie for points and a champion is chosen at the end of the year. ??
Cox said the format breaks the monotony of solo sports.
?? It’s fun to play together as a team in such an individual sport ?? said Cox.
The official start of the season for the Lady Cubs is on Wednesday in Springfield on the Bill & Payne Stewart Golf Course.
?? They have a par 3 course that we put the newer girls on and a normal course for the seasoned girls, so that’s a nice feature of this course, ?? said Cox.
At the tournament, Cox said he was hoping for continued improvement in his players.
All girls ?? short games keep getting better and the returnees learn how to better avoid bad situations, ?? he said. ?? You’re figuring out the mental part of the game, and that can take a while. ??
Monett’s first game at Monett’s Windmill Ridge Golf Course will take place in late September when the Lady Cubs host one of the 9-hole team competitions.