BOYS' GOLF: Experience, leadership should guide an improved GC team

By BRANDON HURLEY

Sports Editor 

sports@beeherald.com

Sheer volume of numbers should give Greene County boys’ golf one of the deeper teams in all of the Heart of Iowa Conference this spring. The young squad that sputtered in big spots in 2016, now has the look of a veteran squad as they prepare to tee off for the first time next week. 

The Rams boast 25 total freshmen through seniors in 2017. 

Just three members of last spring’s seventh place Heart of Iowa Conference squad graduated, which bodes well for a unit that struggled with consistency. 

An influx of new and improving talent should also provide a hearty boost, as 13 freshmen and sophomores graced the lineup card for the 4-8 Rams a season ago. 

All-conference junior Elijah Block once again should provide a spark as the Rams’ no. 1, fresh off the bitter taste of coming up just a stroke short of districts in 2016. 

Block, as a sophomore, shot a 79 at sectionals last spring at the Atlantic Golf and Country club, one shot shy of advancing. As a team, Greene County finished eighth as with a total score of 389.

Block posted a team-best 42 nine-hole average over six rounds, with a low-round of 40, which was just outside the HOIC top 15, and achieved a 82.6 eighteen hole average in five rounds, also best on the team. He carded a season-best 70 eighteen hole score, which tied him for the second lowest round in the conference. 

Block’s 18-hole average of 82.6 was the 10th best mark in the league. 

The Rams finished seventh at the Heart of Iowa Conference (359) meet while Block carded a 79 for sixth in the individual competition at TCI in Polk City.  

Gilbert walked away with the conference title, submitting a 309 team score. 

The Rams’ nine-hole team average for the top four was 196.57 last season. 

On the flip side, Gilbert averaged 155. The Rams fired a 379.8 stroke average on 18 holes while the Tigers carded a blistering 298.5. 

Greene County’s Isaiah Yoder posted a 48.67 nine-hole average with a low round of 44 last spring. The senior averaged 96.8 strokes on 18 hole rounds with a low of 94. Just one other Ram averaged in the 40s a season ago, with Britton Gallagher posting a 49 stroke average in three rounds. He shot a low-round of 93 to boost his 18-hole average of 99.75. Then sophomore Logan Nelson fired a 47 in his lone nine-hole round last spring. 

Ben Wilkins fired a low nine-hole round of 48 while Nelson fired a low round of 93 in his lone 18-hole round. 

Those numbers, while not exactly eye-popping, prove that Greene County should be able to put the nerves of competition in the past. 

“[One of our strengths] will be having experience in meets,” Greene County head coach Dave Destival said. “[We’ve also] played most of the courses we play on for our meets.”

The challenge this spring, Destival said, is turning quality practice rounds into good showings in competition. Consistency has been a big selling point. 

“We shoot worse scores in meets then we do in practice,” the coach said. 

The rainy and chilly spring weather hasn’t helped progress though, as several driving range sessions have been moved indoors. Destival hasn’t got his boys out on the course as much as he’d like. 

The expectations are raised for Block and the Rams this spring, the next step should be an attainable goal for a now veteran squad. Shooting for an individual conference championship isn’t out of the question. Block should be one of the top-10 returning golfers in the conference. Gone are four of the top-five golfers from a season ago. For now, Greene County will ride their wave of experience. 

“I would hope for Elijah to repeat as an All-Conference member and compete for conference medalist,” Destival said. “[I want] the team to win more dual meets and finish high in the conference meet.”

Greene County tees off the 2017 season Monday, April 3 at Carroll. The Rams have just two home meets, as they return to Jefferson Thursday, April 6 for a triangular against Des Moines Christian and Perry at the Hill. They are back home Saturday, April 29 for a meet at Lakeside Golf Course against Carlisle. 

The 2017 Heart of Iowa Conference tournament is scheduled for Tuesday, May 2 at the Tournament Club of Iowa in Polk City. 

The 3A boys’ sectional meet is set for May 12 at Majestic Hills in Denison. The district meet, if the Rams qualify, is set for the following Friday, May 19 at Atlantic Golf and Country Club. 

The boys’ 3A state tournament will be held May 26-27 at Spring Valley Golf Course in Livermore.