Staying calm, cool, and collected is often a key to successful golf. When golfers stay relaxed, they are often able to focus more optimally on playing one shot at a time and focusing on what they need to do, rather than worrying about past shots or what score they will finish with.
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Staying calm, cool, and collected is often a key to successful golf. When golfers stay relaxed, they are often able to focus more optimally on playing one shot at a time and focusing on what they need to do, rather than worrying about past shots or what score they will finish with.
These important mental skills are even more exemplified on difficult tournament condition courses when pins are strategically placed on the greens.
On Sept. 18 at the WRC Boys Golf Tournament at Quail Hollow, Kenston Bombers golfer AJ Bockmuller said that staying relaxed and calm enabled him to card a 79 as he earned WRC All-Conference honors.
Bockmuller was able to shoot a low score by driving the ball accurately. He attributed his successful driving accuracy to advice he received from Bombers Head Coach, Jim Cehra.
Bockmuller said that Coach Cerha helped him calm his nerves and concentrate, leading him to hit his driver straighter and more accurately.
“I had to relax a lot because I was a little tense at the start,” Bockmuller said. “But after I relaxed, and started to calm down, I started to hit the driver better and straighter and more consistent.”
In addition to staying calm, Bockmuller utilized a preshot routine before each shot which helped him enhance concentration and focus.
He said his specific preshot routine consisted of first stepping away from the ball, mentally addressing the ball, taking a practice swing, and then just hitting the ball.
In terms of saving strokes, Bockmuller said that his play on the greens was instrumental in shooting a low round.
“The greens were really fast, (so) I worked on pacing out my putts to get the speed right,” Bockmuller said. “I figured out the way they were breaking most of the time after the first couple holes and got the reads right. Made a couple long putts for birdies to save my round. I would say putting was where I (saved) my most strokes today.”
Also earning WRC All-Conference honors for the Bombers was senior Brady Baran who carded an 85 and finished eighth in the WRC Conference Tournament.
In addition to Bockmuller and Baran, the Chardon Hilltoppers, Ty Roediger carded an 82 to finish fifth and earn All-Conference Honors at the WRC Tournament.
For Roediger, a senior who will be playing golf at Defiance College next Fall, he saw great improvement from his team this season.
“It was definitely a step up from last year, everyone has improved,” said Roediger. “As a team we improved significantly. We got second in the conference for the regular season.”
Also earning WRC All-Conference Honors for the Hilltoppers were Noah Darone, who finished tied for 8th with an 85 and AJ Boose who shot 86.
In addition to Baran, Bockmuller, Boose, Darone, and Roediger earning WRC All-Conference Honors at Quail Hollow, the Bombers Girls Golf Team won the WRC Conference Title at Erie Shores Golf Course for the 6th year in a row. The Bombers were led in the postseason tournament by individual medalist and WRC Player of the Year, Ava Solak (70), Stefania Mighton (71) and Lainy Lombardo (77).
Other notable performances were turned in by Geauga Golfers at the NCC Conference Tournament and the CVC Conference Tournament.
The NDCL Girls Golf Team won the NCC Conference Tournament at Grayhawk Golf Course on Sept. 15 by twenty strokes with a score of 367.
Leading the Lions was junior Alexis Urigel who finished in first place with an 82 to earn medalist honors.
With her excellent performance, Urigel was named the MVP for the NCC Conference. Also earning first team All-Conference Honors was Ava Lewandowski.
Overall, the Lions Girls Golf Team had a great regular season under the leadership of Head Coach Tiger Alexander. They are currently 11-1 on the season and recently won the Mahoning Classic at Salem Hills on September 13th. Finishing in first place individually and earning medalist honors for the tournament was Ava Lewandowski who shot a 79.
The Chagrin Falls Boys and Girls Golf Teams also won Conference Titles with excellent performances at the CVC Conference Tournaments on Sept. 15 and 16.
Helping the Tigers Boys Golf Team clinch the CVC Chagrin Valley Division Title at Quail Hollow on Sept. 15 was senior Jack Watson.
Watson finished in first place with a 74 to earn medalist honors.
Watson said that he played consistently and steady throughout the round. In particular, he said that his ball striking, approach shots, and short game were very good.
“Just a pretty steady round, a lot of pars, a couple bogeys, a couple birdies, overall I had a fun day,” said Watson.
After winning the CVC Pre-Season Tournament on Aug. 4, the Tigers Boys Golf Team compiled an 8-1 record for the season, before winning the CVC Title on Sept. 15.
The next day on Sept. 16 at Punderson State Park Golf Course, the Chagrin Falls Tigers Girls Golf Team won the CVC Chagrin Valley Division Title.
The Tigers were led by sophomore Elizabeth Pollock who finished in first place earning medalist honors by shooting a 74. In addition, junior Natalie Venorsky finished 4th with an 86, and junior Kate Murphy finished 5th with a score of 89.
The Tigers Girls Golf Team finished the regular season with a record of 6-2.
With the completion of the conference tournaments, Geauga County Golfers begin OHSAA sectional play on Sept. 22.
