Spring is finally here which means the kick off to spring sports has started.  These sports include lacrosse, track, and golf. The girls golf team is above par already and the season has just begun.

The girls JV Golf team is coached by Penny Pease and Varsity is coached by Gary Severtson.  Both coaches are Orono natives and are a great addition to the team.  Varsity Coach, Gary Severtson or “Stevo”, taught at OHS for many years and retired a few years back.  Penny Pease is the Technology Integration Coordinator for Orono School District.

Since Orono High School doesn’t have their own course, we call Baker National Park Golf Course Orono home turf for golf.  Many of the days of practice the golfers play the Evergreen Golf Course at Baker.  However with Minnesota weather being so unpredictable, some matches and practices get rained out.

“It’s hard to pick one course I like more, I do like Evergreen, but all of them are so different in their own ways,” Orono JV girls golfer Sydney Veith said.

With the weather being nicer this year, and not as many rained out matches the girls have improved greatly since last season.  Rain does not stop the girls, when events are rained out they will watch matches on T.V., set up putting greens around the school and discuss their upcoming meets.

It’s not as easy as it looks, the team has practice 2-4 times a week, along with matches, but the girls do have a great time bonding and getting to know each other over all the days spent together. The golf team teaches the students the skills needed in order to play 18 hole games, when to use each club, what the different clubs do and how winds and bounce play a big role in golf.  

It seems a bunch of the players want to play like the professional golfer Jordan Spieth.  The team’s progress can  be seen, when you drive the ball farther each time.

With all team sports comes laughter and friendship, whether it’s the little things or the big things that have the biggest impact or the most laughs the golf team does not lack entertainment.

“The funniest moment of the golf season was when Simone McGuire broke her club in half while hitting it against a tree,” girls golfer Allison Stern said.

With the season coming to a close soon we hope the team stays above par and finish the year out strong.