Many people think of golf as a casual weekend activity, but in fact it is really a very competitive mental sport. Athletes on the boys’ golf team know this very well.  This season, Inglemoor and many of its rival schools were neck-and-neck.

More than half the schools in the league went 4-4 or 5-3 throughout the season.  The viks followed that same pattern, ending with a 4-4 record.

“I’d say we’re right in the middle of the pack,” senior captain Carter Tillotson said.   “Going into the season I knew we had a strong team.”

Senior Austin Futral says that what makes a team good is how well they can focus and work together.

“We pep talk before every match.  It helps us focus and get dialed in better,” Futral said.

Team comradery is an important aspect of golf because such a large part of the sport is mental.  Missing a few shots can be frustrating, and allowing that frustration to distract the player can take a toll on how well they play.

“It messes up your swing, it messes up your mentality, and it messes up your putting,” Tillotson said.  “If you have a bad shot, you have to be able to get over it and get through it.”

Tillotson and the other senior captain Mason Phalen are the only players on the team to make it to the state tournament.  Tillotson intends to play golf in college as well.  Since the postseason games are where college coaches come to find prospective players, Tillotson intends to try even harder to impress them.

“My goal is to go out and g et top five at state, if not win it,” Tillotson said. “I can do it.”

“State takes place in the spring at the Meadow Springs Country Club in Richland.