In the grand scheme of things, three out of four ain't bad. That is, unless the one that got away must remain in your memory for months before the opportunity for redemption presents itself again. Such is the case for the male Golfers in Green as they conclude another respectable season.
With a second place finish at the Dartmouth Invitational, the fall season looked promising for the men's squad. Though last year's team MVP Jay Danzi '98 watched from the sidelines, Coach Bill Johnson believed his team had the depth to carry them through the fall season.
At the ECAC qualifier, the men linksters again proved they were a force to be reckoned with, as they battled nasty conditions to take a second place finish and an ECAC bid.
Dartmouth continued its impressive play at the Toski Invitational, finishing sixth out of a strong field of 23 Yet the team knew there was still room for improvement. Johnson insisted that his team take a more relaxed approach to the game.
However, the foundation the team had built over the first three tournaments came crumbling down at the ECAC Championship. Each member of the Dartmouth squad posted their highest competition rounds ever.
Confused and disheartened, the team looked to the NEIGA Championship as a place to renew their spirits and put a respectable conclusion on their season. Armed with optimism and a healthy Danzi, the team traveled to New Sudbury, Mass., only to have the tournament canceled due to rain.
Now there is nothing left to do but wait and reflect. Members of the team had little to say, other than the season was going well up until the ECACs.
"The conclusion left a bad taste in our mouths," Co-Captain MacKenzie Hurd '98 said. "We wanted to redeem ourselves after the debacle in Delaware."
But, the team takes comfort in knowing that Danzi is healthy again and that there are now seven strong players who will compete for the five traveling spots. Co-Captain Steve Sugarman '97 expects "the team to start cross-training to keep their competitive form."
Many players will be keeping their game in shape in warmer climates. Hurd will spend his winter in San Diego. Carlos Gonzalez '99 will head back home to Miami, while Hurd will take off to Florida. And Jon Heaton '99 will be leaving for France. The team will reconvene in March for a spring trip to either Louisiana or California, wherever more competition can be found.
As was the case last year, Johnson and his team consider the Ivy League Championship to be the main focus of the spring season. While Yale is this year's obvious favorite, the Big Green should not be overlooked. They now feel they have something to prove. And, as the early part of this season indicated, they have the ability to do it.
