In spring golf, sometimes the challenge is just to stay on the course.
Though the sun was shining, soggy fairways and swings that are still loosening up after a long winter made play a challenge for the South Whidbey varsity girls this past week. A challenge, but not a big problem.
Against a Mount Baker team that shanked more than a few balls into hazards, wet spots and trees, the Falcon girls were far and away the better team at the Useless Bay Golf and Country Club Thursday. Led by junior Jennifer Pan — who worked her way out of a close encounter with some occasional water spilling over from a marshy hazard on the first hole of the day — the Falcons amassed 85 Stableford points to the Mountaineers’ 58 to win their first North Cascades Conference meet of the season.
Pan was the medalist with 21 points. Close behind was her foursome partner, Hailie Mansfield, with 20, and Jessica Johnson with 19. Also scoring for the Falcons were freshman Jenna Lindus with 12 points and Marci Strong with 12. The team’s Number 6 golfer, Nici Eaton, made 11 points on nine holes.
The team’s coach, Tom Sage, said the team’s top scores are the equivalent of shooting in the low 50s. That’s fine for this time of year, he said, as was his team’s generally accurate shooting on the day.
“Today we wanted to stay in bounds,” he said.
On Tuesday, the Falcons faced stiffer opposition when they played Monroe at Echo Falls Golf Club. There, Pan was also tops for the Falcons with 25 points, but could not top Monroe medalist Kaylynn Simmons, who scored 33.
Adding to the South Whidbey point total were Mansfield and senior Adrienne Hawley, both with 24 points. Johnson scored 14 points, and Strong rounded out the top five with 10.
Also on Tuesday, three junior varsity girls played their first round of competitive high school golf. Nici Eaton, Rebecca Jaffe, Courtney Hatt and Marguerite Crooks combined for 15 Stableford points in their nine-hole debut.
The Falcons play next on Wednesday against Oak Harbor at the North Whidbey Golf and Country Club.
