Although the weather hasn’t been very golf-friendly over the past month, the TJC men’s and women’s golf teams enter the spring season with the belief they can take the national championship crowns.
The Apaches and Lady Apaches will both be returning with three players from last season’s roster along with a freshmen class, which has already made contributions to the team’s overall success.
Head Coach Sandy Terry is in his ninth season as head coach and feels his players have improved as the season has progressed.
Practice along with the change of seasons will determine how the team plans to attack the different courses they will play during this season.
“It’s like two different games as you change from fall to spring season,” sophomore James Glenn said. “Sometimes you have to lower your expectations and be mentally tough. You have to take what you can get in the first couple of months of the spring season.”
Glenn added that as long as they continue to approach tournaments with a conservative mind set, they should have no problem “taking care of business.”
The Apaches began the spring season in the right direction after finishing in first place in a warm-up tournament on Feb. 20 in Glen Rose. The next tournament will feature the men and women golf teams and be played on March 1-2 at Eagle’s Bluff Country Club in Bullard.
The Apaches and Lady Apaches have already qualified to play in the NJCAA National Tournaments in May. Both tournaments will be held May 17-20 with the men’s in Goodyear, Ariz. and the women’s in Daytona Beach, Fla.
After winning three tournaments this past fall, the Apaches’ confidence has certainly been boosted.
“With the three returning players and a solid group of freshmen, I like the chances we have,” Glenn said. “This is the best team I’ve ever been on.”
The Lady Apaches finished the fall season with two first place finishes and one second place finish. They are eager to get back on the course and look to continue with the success they’ve had.
Although the weather has kept them from being on the golf course as much as they’d like, the Lady Apaches still feel the lack of time on the course will not affect their chemistry.
“We’re all really mentally strong,” sophomore Courtney Hodgkins said. “Hanging out a lot and studying together has helped keep us close.”
The players have also had to make sure to stay in shape and be ready to go because of the lack of time on the course due to the weather.
“The players go to the gym on their own and do their own weight training on off days,” Terry said.
Coach Terry doesn’t have to push his players to work harder on improving because this is what they want to do.
“The players want to play at a four-year school so they have a desire to make this their life.”
Coach Terry also said as long as his players continue to play with the right technique and the right tempo they should do just fine.
