One stroke at a time.
That’s the mantra the San Benito High girls’ golf team is taking this season. And it’s a sound approach, given the fact that several of the golfers entered the 2013 campaign with limited experience.
“Some of our girls have just picked up a club within the last year,” first-year Balers coach Keith Muraoka said. “Our goal is for every individual to improve at least a couple of strokes from the time the season started to when it ends. If we can do that, the season will be a success.”
Winning doesn’t hurt either, and that’s exactly what San Benito did on Monday at its home course, San Juan Oaks. Playing a three-way Monterey Bay League match against Trinity Christian-Monterey and Watsonville, the Balers prevailed by shooting a 284, besting Trinity Christian and Watsonville by 22 and 45 strokes, respectively.
Muraoka was particularly encouraged with Monday’s result because it was 25 strokes better than the team’s previous best score this season at San Juan Oaks.
Five of the six girls in San Benito’s lineup shot under 60, including medalist Beverley Witty (55), Amy Carvalho (56), Bianca Jacquez (56), Maggie Campo (58) and Isabella Arreola (59).
Savannah Acfalle, who shot a 64, was playing in her first-ever organized match.
“For a lot of our girls, just getting match experience will boost their confidence and help them tremendously,” Muraoka said.
Playing golf for a high school team can also prove to be an experience of a lifetime. On Oct. 10, the Balers play Robert Louis Stevenson-Pebble Beach at Spyglass Hill, one of the nation’s premier golf courses.
“It costs $500 to play a round at Spyglass Hill, and that’s if you can ever get on the course in the first place,” Muraoka said. “So the girls get to gain valuable experience playing on an exclusive course that is almost impossible to play on unless you’re rich. I’m an avid golfer, and I’ve never played at Spyglass, but I’ve wanted to.”
Although most of the players are golf novices, the team’s top three players — Witty, Carvalho and Arreola — have a solid golf background.
“Our top three players are pretty close in caliber, and they’re all well-rounded in their games,” Muraoka said.
Even though golf is an individual sport, Muraoka promotes a team-building atmosphere. From the most talented players on the team to the least experienced, everyone gets a chance to play.
That means even the top players have to sit out a match every now and then.
“Our girls understand what’s best for the team,” Muraoka said.
San Benito started the season 0-3 before reeling off three straight wins entering Wednesday’s match against Salinas. More importantly, the team has lowered its score in each succeeding match at San Juan Oaks, a clear sign of progress.
Out of the 11 golfers on this year’s squad, only two are seniors. The future looks bright, with a simple caveat: As long as the players practice diligently in the offseason, a top-three league finish in 2014 for the Balers isn’t out of the question.
“The next step is for the girls to get thinking out on the course,” Muraoka said. “They have to realize if a green is slanted a certain way, it’s going to break a certain way. Course management and furthering the mental aspect of the game are some of the things that will take their game a long way.”
