By Liesl Roorda
Co-Head Golf Coach
The Montezuma girls traveled to Oskaloosa Golf for the SICL tournament on Monday, May 6. After experiencing some trouble on some of the holes at a regular meet on the same course the Tuesday before, the girls were ready to come back, having learned some things about the course and their play and to improve their round.
The front nine has some water to deal with, sand traps at most holes and many mature trees lining the fairways. Improvements in individual scores were seen. Some hazards were avoided that provided frustration the Tuesday before.
The back nine, which the girls had not played, had some holes shortened to keep the pace of play going, as did the boys meet last week, but also saw a lot of water, in-course woods, and bunkers on every hole.
Each of the girls kept their focus on the game and worked very hard to keep looking at the next shot ahead, instead of focusing on the one they just left.
It was great to see the girls achieve those victories throughout the round and get experience playing at a course of a different level than most courses they see throughout the season.
One in particular that stands out and was able to be seen by coaches was a wonderful birdie that Kylee Larmore had on the back nine, hitting her drive to the perfect approach spot on a dogleg left, chipping it up 60 yards to the green with the ball rolling by the hole stopping 3 feet past, and Kylee putting the ball in from that 3 foot mark.
They all had those special shots throughout the round which are the ones that, “keep you coming back.”
At the end of the day, the Montezuma girls tied for second with Colfax-Mingo but received third due to not having a fifth golfer to score and potentially break the tie.
Individually, Izzy Roorda earned the fourth spot overall.
It has been a season full of growth for each of the girls. Walking into the season, the only one with competitive experience was our junior, Karlee Knust, who had played at her previous school.
The girls have been so willing to work and improve each day. Their smiles and great attitudes have helped them have the right mindset for golf and given them the needed mental base to handle the game’s ups and downs which come for every level of golfer.
The girls are in post-season regional play on Friday, May 10, at Sigourney.
Girls SICL Golf
at Oskaloosa Golf
Team scores – 1, BGM, 446. 2, Colfax-Mingo, 465. 3, Montezuma, 465. 4, HLV, 485. 5, Iowa Valley, 485. 6, Sigourney, 496. 7, North Mahaska, 521. 8, Belle Plaine, 538. 9, English Valleys, 542. 10, Lynnville-Sully, 591.
Medalist – Aly Steil, North Mahaska, 84.
Montezuma places, scores – 4, Izzy Roorda, 100. 7, Claire Erselius, 112. 12, Kylee Larmore, 120. 19, Karlee Knusst, 133. There were a total of 34 players.