After a heartbreaking defeat last year, the PCDS golf team reflected on how they have developed this season as they prepare for the state championship on May 11 and 12 at Aguila Golf Course.
Last year at the Division III golf state championships, PCDS came one stroke shy of the state champions, Pusch Ridge Christian Academy, by a score of 603 to 604 strokes. After finishing the first day in first place, leading by a three-stroke margin, it was Pusch Ridge who entered the final day in third place before completing a surprising comeback to win the championship. Following this experience, the team spoke about how they hope to change the outcome this year.
Sophomore Sam Meltzer, who won the individual State Champion title last year, shared, “I think a lot of people on the team thought we were going to come away with the win the second day, but it’s motivated me to work harder and to come into this season motivated to win a state championship this year.” Senior Eliza Meltzer, who has played on the golf team throughout her high school tenure, placing second best on the team at the championship last year, shares a similar mindset. She said, “It was definitely disappointing, but since we were so close, I knew this season we were reaching in for the title. Now we are all just trying to stay really patient and putting our best effort forward so we can set ourselves up for success again.”
Another crucial element of golf is the difficult mental aspect. Golf matches can exceed four hours, meaning athletes need to be present for every shot they take. Eliza reflected on how she stays mentally focused, saying, “I work a lot on the mental game. I think it’s easy, whether you are playing really well or really poorly, to start thinking about the score and where you are placed, but you just have to think about the shot that you are hitting, and just go through your process with it, not really worrying about anything else.” Sam added, “I try to stay as present as possible and remind myself that I have succeeded in pressure situations before.”
When summing up the team this year, Eliza and Sam discussed the chemistry and traits of this team that may not be able to be seen on a surface level, and how their chemistry has evolved throughout the year. Eliza shared, “I really enjoy the community and all my friends being on the team. Obviously the golf is a lot of fun, but the memories we made on trips and bus rides are what I will remember the most when I go to college.” Sam said, “We always work together, and I think that it is our team culture and tight-knit team dynamics that have driven us to success so far this season.”
The golf team has been preparing mentally and physically as they have developed a sense of community to hopefully win this year’s State Championship.
