Cloverdale girl's golf seeing huge improvement
As he enters his third season at the helm of the Cloverdale girl's golf program, Jamie Steffy does so feeling good about where the Clovers are headed.
"We have continued to improve every year. Our numbers from my first year was at two golfers and went to five last year. For the first time in 12 years, we won a match and, in fact, we ended up winning three golf matches and beating 12 teams last season. So the improvement we have made has been a real positive for our program from our first year to last year. The thing I am really pleased about is how we have grown in our individual play, our club selection and over knowledge of how to play golf. Especially considering every golfer I have had, I have had to teach them how to swing the club and play golf
since they have never played before," Steffy told The Putnam County Post.
Gone from last season are Kiersten Wade and Kaitlyn Kerr, both of whom improved quite a bit and helped recruit other players to the team.
"Girls look at golf on TV and say "it's boring", but as I tell them if you just watch golf on a Sunday afternoon, yes it is. But watching compared to being out there playing are 2 different things. You come out, you will like to play. Golf has a way of getting into your blood to want to play more and more.
The Clovers have eight golfers out this season and Steffy admits he and the team are "optimistic about this season."
Leading the unit is sophomore Aliyah Maldonado, who Steffy admits has improved every year.
"She will be our No. 1 and should be one of the top players in the county. Celeste Terrell, a sophomore, will be a good player for us who is very long off the tee and as her short game/putting improves, she will be a top player as well. Autumn Wheeler, a junior, is the opposite of Celeste, maybe not as long off the tee, but her strength is her short game and putting. Both are returning players with experience for us," Steffy said. .
The Clovers have recently tasted success, knocking off South Putnam and then both Greencastle and Clay County, as well as finishing with their lowest score of the season in a loss to North Putnam. They also have a win over Owen Valley this fall.
"The expectations are there to have a good season, and, possibly, contend for the Putnam County Girls Golf Championship," Steffy said.
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