Cougars playing to improve

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

ROACHDALE -- The NPHS Lady Cougars traveled through heavy rain and lightning to Brazil on Monday to face the Knights of Northview. With thoughts of postponing the meet until next week after two lightning delays, the skies opened up with sun and clear skies to allow the golfers to take to the course.

Being only the Cougars' second meet of the season, the nerves and jitters of this inexperienced team got the best of them. Northview, however, came out strong with the play of three seniors and one junior. Experience and poise make a huge difference in the playing field of golf. Northview carded an impressive 177 to the Lady Cougars' 253. The Cougars have three sophomores, one being totally new to golf, and one freshman with some middle school experience and they now know the difficult task that awaits them throughout the season.

According to coach Linda Patrick, each individual player is already recognizing strong and weak points of their game and will strive to correct and improve the skills needed to do well in their first WIC conference meet on Aug. 29 at Idle Creek Golf course in Terre Haute.

With no time to practice between meets, the Lady Cougar golfers loss to North Montgomery on their home course Tuesday night. Hoping to score a little better than the meet, North Putnam ended up with the same total score of 253. Taylor Dixon shot a 57, and Emily Eltz, Anna Carrington, and Mary Timm all shot a 65. The Chargers carded a 193 with Bonwell earning medalist for the meet with an impressive 39.

"It is still too early in the season to be expecting great scores from such a young team," Patrick said. "The newcomers have improved greatly since the first practice but all still need more consistent shots and accurate putting to put the team in winning territory. Right now the biggest problems the players have is the common beginner mistake of looking up too soon when striking the ball. They are beginning to realize too the importance of making the three-foot putts."

Coach Patrick beleives the team will see this improvement at mid-season. North Putnam next match is Saturday at Western Boone.

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