The sun shines, blades of grass sway in the wind. Quick rushes in the air slice through the silence of concentration. Spring golf season has arrived. 

The girls varsity and boys varsity teams played  March 1- 2, with the girls in Huntsville and the boys in Glen Rose. While the majority of sports get four teams to be able to move to playoffs, golfing gets two.

The girls junior varsity team will play March 27 in Wimberly and the boys junior varsity team will compete there the following day.

Coach Justin Schulze has been coaching his players for the upcoming golf tournaments, which will determine who goes to the district tournament in early April.  Their district tournament determines whether or not the team will move higher along to playoffs.

“We have won a couple golf tournaments already and finished second in another one, so we are off to a good start and looking forward to seeing what [the players] will do,” Schulze said. 

Junior Paige Rutland has been playing golf for five years, beginning in middle school. She has refined her playing abilities based on her scores and routines.

“My main goal this year is not only to get better both physically and mentally but I hope I can help our team to medal at state,” Rutland said.

Students practice and play everyday after school at the Hancock Park Golf Course. Students also play on their own time to increase their skill levels. Practices and drills vary depending on the required formats of discipline. This helps in the improvement of playing the game.

“It’s a sport that takes quite a bit of time to do,” Schulze said.  

So far, the golf team has been to invitationals only.

“We’ve got a team with a lot of experience and had teams that were very successful last year, and they’re building on it this year as well,” Shulze said. “Last year we had a lot of younger players; this year we’re relying on a bunch of seniors and we are going to use that experience to help us.”

Rutland is excited for the district tournament and aims to help her team make it to state. 

“I am excited for district and seeing what we can do,” Rutland said. “I think the sport has truly made me a better person. I am more prepared for life after high school because I know how to persevere and stay positive.”

Rutland said she has improved significantly over the years she has played golf and her scores mirror her progress.

“It’s very, very exciting for me to see kids that come out that don’t know a lot about the game and watch them graduate and see the change they have made for the time they’re seventh graders or ninth graders, wherever they started, until they get to be seniors,” Shulze said.

Rutland has noticed tremendous change in her ability to focus. She has not only gotten better at the game, but in her mentality as well.

“Coach Shulze has been very successful while he has been here,” Rutland said. “He is very good at seeing what is wrong with our swings and helping us play the best possible golf.”

The golf team is doing well, both in their practices and their tournaments. They have had to work harder than before to get to where they are now. 

Shulze gives all the credit to the players for their success. 

“We’ve had a lot of success in the years past,” Shulze said. “We’re having a lot of success right now and that’s 100% due to the effort and the commitment that these kids have. I am very blessed as a coach to have the kids I have that make extremely good grades and do very, very well while they’re competing. I’m very proud of that.”