The Ohio men’s and women’s golf team return to the links this weekend after a long hiatus.
The men’s team will travel to Bloomington, Ind., to participate in the NYX Hoosier Invitational this weekend. Its last match was Feb. 21, when the Bobcats finished in 12th place in the Wexford Plantation Intercollegiate.
Ohio coach Bob Cooley said the course has trees that could come into play, and it is imperative that the golfers drive the ball straight.
Cooley took eight golfers with him to the famous Pinehurst golf courses during spring break. While there, the Bobcats played 11 rounds in eight days, including the most challenging course, Pinehurst No. 2.
The Bobcats also had an alumni match during their time in North Carolina. Cooley said the spring break trip should help the Bobcats this weekend.
“It was the best weather we’ve ever had on spring break, so we got to play a lot and got to practice a lot so it was really helpful,” Cooley said.
Cooley said the upcoming match would be a good base for Ohio as it gets into the heart of its schedule.
“It’s just going to be getting back into the grind of playing 36 holes in one day on a good course with good competition,” he said. “If the nerves hold up, we should do all right.”
The women’s team will travel to Eastern Kentucky University to take part in the Lady Colonel Classic. The Bobcats have not had as long of a layoff as the men, with their last match occurring on March 25. They finished in 12th place at the University of Cincinnati Spring Tournament during spring break.
Coach Kelly Ovington said the team has had the benefit of playing at Athens Country Club while the club’s short-game area is currently under construction. Ovington said the short-game aspect, especially earning par, was an area the Bobcats have honed in on. She said the extra course time should help the Bobcats in the long run.
“Any time you can get in coursework or real-life situations, it’s a benefit as compared to just hitting the same chip that you already know how to do over and over and over,” Ovington said.
Ovington said looking over the statistics for Florida, she saw some good scores, which she hopes will bode well for her team this weekend.
“I think we have a great deal of confidence going into this event. It’s always hard after a layoff to get yourself motivated again but I think we’ve all addressed that,” Ovington said. “I think they’re just looking forward to competing again.”
mk277809@ohiou.edu
