Golf
Begins First Season Since the 70s
by Channing Joseph
Oberlin
mens golf looks to begin a promising new season this Saturday,
April 6 under the tutelage of Head Coach Blake New. The seven-player
group begins the spring season as the first golf team at the College
in nearly three decades, and despite some weather-related setbacks
and the teams general newness, its members seem optimistic
about the talents of their fellow teammates, as well as their prospects
for upcoming competition.
Sophomore Ed Geschke, of Carrum, Australia, who is expected to be
one of the septets leaders, recently said, Were
a new team. Its the first time the College is going to have
a team [in quite a while]. Weve been practicing in the last
month, though the weather hasnt been nice. We just havent
played all winter. Its hard to get that together when you
havent been practicing. But we have some good players, and
hopefully well get it together.
First-year Jun Ando, of Tokyo, Japan, expressed a similarly hopeful
sentiment, saying, I think well have a great season.
A lot of the guys are really talented and experienced. I think well
make an impact. Its all going well.
His
positive attitude may have been fueled by his experience on the
groups recent trip over spring break, during which the team
was afforded the opportunity to practice at PGA Village in Boca
Raton, Fla.. The men used its facilities and generally more hospitable
climate to improve their golf skills while enjoying time off from
academic responsibilities.
We got to practice a lot. We played nice courses. It was a
lot of fun in general, and we also got lots of golf in. It was just
a good experience, Ando said.
The
rest of the group consists of seniors Aditya Malkani, also an expected
team hopeful, and Osman Rana, as well as first-years Tom King, Terrance
Woodson and Prithvi Reddy. The team looks to play in three invitational
tournaments at Kenyon and Wooster Colleges, and Ohio Wesleyan University,
ending the season at the North Coast Athletic Conference Championships,
also hosted by Kenyon College.
|