San Benito girls golf coach Chris Branon said after Monday’s
group play in Gilroy that there was still plenty of work to be done
among his Lady ‘Balers, and wanted the team to be shooting in the
low 180s.
Hollister – San Benito girls golf coach Chris Branon said after Monday’s group play in Gilroy that there was still plenty of work to be done among his Lady ‘Balers, and wanted the team to be shooting in the low 180s.
Three days later, at the Ridgemark Golf and Country Club, San Benito did just that, shooting a team score of 182. They also walked to an easy victory over Watsonville, who combined for a team score of 250 Thursday.
“To have the (individual) scores in the mid-40s, that’s what I like to see,” Branon said. “Our goal was to get in the mid-180s, and that’s where we’d like to stay … I’m very pleased with those scores.”
Lady ‘Baler Katie O’Brien medaled Thursday with a 42 on the original back nine at Ridgemark. Holes 1-6 and 16-18 of the Diablo Course, a par 36 measuring 2,777 yards, were the original back nine before Ridgemark developed two golf courses.
Marissa Gutierrez was one shot behind her teammate O’Brien, carding a 43 for the round, while Amanda Frey shot a 45. Sophomore Katie Moeller recorded a 52, with Lashea Dailey and Jordan Archer contributing scores of 53 and 58, respectively.
“I’m starting to see the passion of the team,” Branon added. “It’s excitement when they do well … and it’s disappointment when they don’t, which is good. The girls are practicing and pushing themselves and driving themselves, wanting to be a part of each match.”
For Watsonville, they only played with four players instead of the usual six on Thursday. Jazmine Ancira led the Wildcatz with a 52, while Jasmine Martinez and Krystal Martinez finished the round with scores of 62 and 63, respectively. Becca Balogh rounded out Watsonville at Ridgemark with a 73.
Branon knows that for the scores to lower even more, it will need to come in the short game. Said the coach, “The girls get off the tee … but it happens around the green.”
On Tuesday, San Benito will have group play at the Salinas Fairways Golf Course with Gilroy, Live Oak, Salinas and Alvarez. The team score for San Benito and Gilroy will count twice: once for Tuesday’s group play and once for group play from Sept. 18, when the first group play of the season was rescheduled.
