Cougars' girls' golf team looks forward to short-handed season

North Putnam junior Jessie Cox (left) lines up for a putt while her teammate, junior Olivia Zarate, watches. The two began the season as the only golfers for the Cougars. (Banner Graphic/GRANT WIEMAN)

ROACHDALE -- On Monday, the North Putnam Cougars girl's golf team made the trek down to take on the Northview Knights in a dual meet. Like every meet that the Cougars will participate in this year, this meet ended in a loss.

It takes four scores to qualify for a win. Ten came out for the first meeting and since then the team has dwindled down to just two. Returning to the team are juniors, Jessie Cox and Olivia Zarate. Both members are very excited to participate in this different season.

"I commend both girls for staying with the golf program knowing that they will never win a meet. They have both started the year with excitement of dedicating the time for practice to steadily improve their individual game," head coach Linda Patrick said.

Both girls look forward to this year as already both have dropped 5-7 strokes per meet from last year. One big struggle early in the season was putting, which has already been improved and the girls are averaging right around 20 putts per nine-hole meet. But they are still struggling with distances for each club.

"The needed work to get scores where they want them will be for each girl to know her own club strength and distances. They need not to give up on a club just because of a few bad hits but learn to keep practicing with those clubs to improve their game," Patrick said.

The girls are very excited. Even though they will not win any meets this year they are more focused on improving as individuals and trying to place in sectionals and advance.

"Both girls' individual goal is to be medalist at least once this year. We are still early in the season and I feel with continued hard work by both girls they can reach their goals," Patrick stated.

"I think that this year will be really fun even though we don't have a full team. We will have to focus on ourselves more and that will take a little pressure off of us," Zarate said.

"Both of our goals this year are to be All-County and hopefully place in county. I think that with continued work and determination both of us will be capable of being selected to the All-County team." Cox said.

Aftert last year the Cougars lost Class of 2013 seniors Josie Parent and Ellen Wilborn. Now they are looking for some type of leader to get them rolling and get both of their scores into the low 40s where they would like them to be.

With only two players this team could still be one of the better girls' golf teams the Cougars have seen in many years.

"I am looking forward to seeing these girls drop their scores by 5-6 strokes within the next few weeks," Patrick said.