Golf is a sport like no other. As a sport that requires intense focus, patience, and determination, it can be incredibly challenging. Being able to play golf well is impressive in itself, and the team plans to exceed expectations. This year, the Chesterton High School boys golf team plans to work on perfecting their game and becoming a force to be reckoned with. 

After an entire season lost due to the COVID-19 pandemic and only one full season of real experience, Coaches Patrick Ward and John Snyder have been training the team to have the same abilities of their competitors. Coach Ward and Coach Snyder have been working with the team since December, training upstairs in the main gymnasium of Chesterton High School. For the past year, the boys and girls teams have been fundraising to raise enough money for a practice simulator and a practice green. Finally, after some hassle, Coach Ward was able to purchase both for the teams to use during their SRT’s or for practice during rainy days. Ward believes that having these available to the team will help their game just that much more. 

For the past few seasons, gaining a large number of golfers has been difficult, but Coach Ward was proud to say that 45 boys had signed up to try out for this year’s team. Having a record number trying out brought one downside, Ward and Snyder could not keep everyone. The final team consists of 15 players and in order to keep freshmen in training and readying them for next season, he put together a practice squad. 

This year’s team consists of: 

• Seniors: Ryan Bakaitis, Luke Fisher, Aden Gray, Kris Lecy, Joshua Lemon, Owen Pilarski, Trenton Powell, and Evan Smilgius.
• Junior: Jan Wojtaszek
• Sophomores: Noah Bazil, Joseph Ennis, Brock Redman, Paul Scott, Phillip Scott, and Bo Smith
• Freshmen: Hunter Austin, William Courtright, Cody Ello, Dylan Glines, Evan Hibshman, Ryan Kasper, and Tryston Smith. 

Even with a huge increase in the team’s talent, Coach Ward intends that his top three players will be the same from last season: Fisher, Bakaitis, and Smith. With these three, the team has huge goals that they hope to achieve including, winning DAC and earning a spot in the top five teams at State. With losing no players from last season, making the transition into the current one a lot smoother. The only difficulty that was presented in creating a line-up was who would play in which spot. They have the potential, the players, and the skill, now all they need to do is master the game of high school golf. 

Just because the team has been working in the offseason and readying themselves for greatness, does not mean that Coach Ward has not noticed some aspects of their game that needs improvement. “Short game,” says Coach Ward, “We are pretty good off the tee, irons are consistent, but we need work around the greens.” 

Along with improving their short game, an obstacle that will be incredibly difficult to overcome is the weather. The spring season brings everything from rain to snow to scorching heat, and knowing how to play in each condition and modify their game accordingly will be key in order to accomplish their season goals. 

The team has begun practices and have spent Mondays at Creekside Golf Course in Valparaiso, Indiana and every other day of the week at Sand Creek Country Club in Chesterton, Indiana. With this practice time, the team is ready for their season to begin. Their first few matches were postponed due to unexpected weather conditions but are scheduled to play against the Munster Mustangs at Sand Creek Country Club on April 23, 2022.