After about six months without competition play, the men’s golf team will step back on the course with clubs in hand at the Illinois Wesleyan Invitational on Friday in Normal, Ill.

Sean Murphy, a sophomore golfer, said the team is feeling good at the start of the season.

“We’ve all been playing a little better at the end of break and after all the work we put in, so we’re feeling pretty good.”

The most challenging part of the season for the men’s golf team this spring will be getting it started, said junior Ben Brooks.

With all the snow that is still on the ground, Brooks said the team has not had much chance to get outside and practice their game. Instead, the team has been practicing indoors working on their swing and technique and even conditioning.

Coach Mike Greer said the weather has made it difficult for the team because they rely on playing outdoors on a golf course, but the team is not letting the Wisconsin climate keep them down.

Brooks said the team feels confident in their ability and while they may not have had as much practice as other teams due to the weather, they still have the talent to compete well.

“Over the last couple weeks, we have actually seen a bump in our ranking for (Div. III) and we kind of hold our destiny in our hands based on how we play to get to nationals,” Brooks said.

The team is now ranked 24 in the nation, which is up a few spots from starting in the fall season.

The team’s ultimate goal is to get to nationals, Brooks said, so to be bumped up in the national rankings a few spots at the beginning of the spring season is a good start. However, both Brooks and Greer said the team is not going to get ahead of themselves. They are going to focus on one round at a time.

“Our focus ultimately right now is playing a good first round in Illinois (Friday) and then moving to the next one and moving forward this spring,” Greer said.

Another thing that is important for the team to do is to maintain a good mental toughness on the golf course, Greer said, because golf is a mental sport, it is important the players have a good attitude.

The Blugolds men’s golf team will play against a lot of good competition.

“We look to have a very competitive spring,” Greer said. “We’re playing against nationally ranked competitors pretty much every tournament so we have a great opportunity to go out and play well this spring and ultimately reach our goal of making it to the national championships.”

The team’s first competition of the spring season is on Friday in Illinois. There will be 27 teams there, including some ranked in the top 10 of the nation.  Greer said the Blugolds’ goal is to place in the top five of the
tournament.