The ‘Baler golf team, which consists of a trio of freshmen, will
look to punch their CCS ticket Monday at the TCAL Finals
Hollister
Inexperience.
It’s usually the No. 1 knock on freshmen or rookies in any sport on any level. But for the San Benito boys golf team, which includes three freshmen, battling the negative effects of inexperience has never really been, well, experienced.
Perhaps a wealth of preparation is the answer.
“That’s what it is with golf,” said Brian Silva, coach of the six-member ‘Baler golf team. “If you practice every day, nothing will feel foreign to you.
“That’s when you get good at golf, by just repeating something over and over again and that’s what we’re trying to get.”
So far, that practice-makes-perfect mentality has led to a runner-up finish in each of the six Tri-County Athletic League Tournaments this season for San Benito – an impressive streak considering the team’s youthful makeup.
In regards to what’s at stake, all those second-place standings supply the Haybalers with an edge for an automatic team bid toward the Central Coast Section Boys Golf Championships in May.
With Monday’s TCAL Finals the last event before any CCS berth, however, the ‘Balers will have to finish in third place or better at Carmel’s Quail Lodge Resort and Golf Club in order to punch their postseason ticket. Although any other standing could perhaps earn San Benito a berth, it would depend on where third-place Salinas finishes in the TCAL Finals.
“At the beginning of the season, a lot of the players thought we’d be better than last year,” said freshman Nathan Winn. “We have the potential, it’s just a matter of making it happen. We have so much potential, it’s unreal.”
The ‘Balers tapped into that potential in just their second meet against Sobrato at the Ridgemark Golf and Country Club on Feb. 21. Compiling a 194, San Benito broke the sub-200 mark a full month earlier than they had the previous year.
More recently, the ‘Balers have carded team scores of 196, 196 and 194 at their three previous TCAL Tournaments.
And with their mentality, they don’t appear to be done just yet.
“We want to do better, of course,” said freshman Will Cross. “We want to finish better. We just need to find it in ourselves and be better than the times before.”
The one team that has stood in San Benito’s way all season is Palma. But considering the Chieftains were recording team scores 20 strokes better than the second-place ‘Balers earlier in the season, and now that deficit is dwindling around four to seven strokes, it seems to be only a matter of time before the Hollister golfers topple the private powerhouse.
“I think we’re just getting used to the tournament play and it’s getting a lot better as the season goes along,” Cross said.
“Our guys have the same potential as them,” Winn added. “It just comes down to making it happen.”
Each of the six ‘Balers, including Joey Amaral, Derell Aton, Marcus Synegal and Justin Palmquist, are ranked among the top 14 golfers in the TCAL this season.
But while finishing second could possibly discourage some – especially in a game as mental as golf – the runner-up standing only seems to make the ‘Balers hungrier.
“It drives them, because every week they want to beat Palma,” Silva said. “They know they can and every week they get closer and closer, and [Palma’s] lead is getting smaller and smaller.”
Palmquist, the third freshman on the team, feels that it will take sub-40 individual scores in order to crack into the top spot. “Now, we’re all playing good,” he said, “but it’s just a matter of a few more shots.”
For Winn and Cross, the two are not only new to high school but also somewhat new to the game. Winn scored a set of clubs for his 10th birthday and a passion for golf followed, while Cross simply followed his older brother, Andy, who bought him his clubs and paid for his green fees, and has been competing for the last two years.
With a strong future already settling into place for the Haybalers, Monday’s TCAL Finals could kick off the next couple of years for the team on the right foot.
For the three freshman, it’ll be one of the last times they’ll be able to play up their youthful experience.
“Other guys ask you what grade you’re in. You say a freshman,” Palmquist said. “It kind of surprises them.”
TCAL Finals
The San Benito boys golf team will play at the Tri-County Athletic League Finals at the Quail Lodge Resort and Golf Club in Carmel. The TCAL Finals will be held Monday, April 28. Tee time is 1 p.m.
Hole-in-one
Nathan Winn recently took first place at the AT&T Pebble Beach Junior Golf Association Spring Championship at the par-3 Peter Hay Golf Course.
On the first hole, though, Winn shot a hole-in-one, and went on the claim the championship with a 2-under 25.
It was Winn’s first ace.
“I was trying to play the shot to the right hill. All of a sudden it disappeared,” Winn said. “I couldn’t believe it. I’ve tried to play that shot a million times before and it finally worked out.”
