Highline’s golf team is ready to take a swing at their upcoming season.

Head Coach Steve Turcotte says he is excited to capitalize on the momentum gained during their autumn outing.

“They showed plenty of promise in the fall season with our three tournaments,” Turcotte said.

The spring team is identical to the one seen last fall with sophomores Ashlynn Verhaaren, Shylee McConnell, and Fails Valley joining up with freshmen Nevaeh Clancy, Mariah Mauer, and Brooklyn Grant. 

“Brooklyn Grant finished second in a tournament we hosted at Twin Lakes,” Turcotte said. “But all showed flashes of some good golf in the tournaments.”

Turcotte said that he would like to see some improvement in the team’s short game as they head into the spring season.

“We are trying to spend more time putting and chipping,” he said. “They have found out that is where most of their lost strokes are.”

In the past, it was common for the team to compete in multi-day tournaments, staying the night in various cities between tournament days.

In the age of the ongoing COVID pandemic, the team will not be staying overnight at any location. The NWAC has produced a schedule that keeps this in mind, ensuring the team’s tournaments are all in reasonable driving distance to go home and the end of each day and return in the morning.

“The ongoing health crisis affects us with our tournaments,” Turcotte said. “We always have had two-day tournaments with overnight stays. This year there are no overnight stays so the NWAC has made a great schedule for the teams with two-day tournaments, but we can drive each day and doesn’t include an overnight stay.”

The Thunderbirds will play host for a tournament at the Twin Lakes golf course on April 25 – 26.