Though the boys and girls golf season has ended, they have a lot to boast about this year. The season, which started in late August, ended on a bittersweet note as two members, one from each team, competed in the post season.
Besides the obvious battle with rival players, golf (a very individual game) can also be a sport of personal battles, more so that team sports at times. Richie Denisar, a senior, said that this year his performances were “a little frustrating” while Andi McCombs, a junior, stated during the season she “started struggling big time.”
Though these struggles existed, players overcame these hardships and persevered as time went along. Players turned to different outlets and ways in order to get out of their ruts.
Andi started “working with [her] uncle three or four times a week” in order to begin improving again. Others like Richie said that wins in the home matches helped to motivate him to do better in the away matches as the season wore on.
These personal triumphs led McCombs and Denisar into the post season.
At regionals, Andi went up against the top three girls in the tournament. Though the intimidation of the competition could have hindered her, Andi “finished the round with her best 18-hole score and the 11th best score out of the 55 golfers,” her father and coach Shawn McCombs stated. She qualified third out of the non-team qualifiers and advanced to sectionals. Though she did not advance, her coach said that she “continued to grind out her round and finished up eight strokes better on the back nine over her front score.”
Richie’s and Andi’s performances capped off an impressive year for Jacksonville golf. Sometimes in golf, ”grinding (through) is the only way to survive,” said Coach McCombs. This perseverance led to an overall success this season by both golf teams. They leave the year with optimism, and according to Coach McCombs, they are “looking forward to the 2014 season and (hope) to better the performances of this past year.”