Preparing to make the final shot, they steady their breath. They grip the club just tightly enough so that they can make their stroke without dropping it and keep fluidity. Their target is no bigger than four and a quarter inches, and if they miss, the practice, the days, weeks, and months of anticipation for this very moment, are all for naught.

   This is the pressure the players on the UC High Boys Golf Team face every match, one they must overcome to let their skills and precision lead to victory. Nevertheless, the team has been winning their matches and representing their school with pride.

   Junior Golfer Fisher Thompson has been on the team since his freshman year. He said, “The season so far has been good. There’s been ups and downs, but we’ll get better over time.” He added, “Last year, I did pretty well, but I could improve everywhere since, well, practice makes perfect.”

   In terms of his strengths, Thompson noted, “I think I’m good at the short game right now; my chipping and putting feel good. I want to add that practice makes perfect so don’t stop and you’ll always find you get better.”

   Junior Golfer JJ Wood added, “I’m hoping that we make it to CIF this year. This is my second year playing the sport, and I’m feeling pretty good this season. Last season I did alright, but I could’ve done better. Specifically, I’m trying to improve on my putting this year.”

   Wood added, “I usually play my shots pretty safe, although occasionally a risky one will come out. Right now, I’m doing pretty well with my wedges and irons [types of clubs]. I’m just hoping to get a little bit better this year.”

   Wood stated, “Our matches usually last anywhere from an hour to two and a half hours. I’d say the hardest part of playing is the learning curve to get up to the point you’re in during the matches, with all the different ways you have to swing. Golf’s similarities to baseball are what drew me to it in the first place, but switching from baseball, the swings are pretty weird and not the easiest to get used to, and that’s probably the hardest aspect.”

   Senior Logan Kelly said, “This season so far has been pretty mixed, but we’ve won all of our matches during the week. Last season my performance was pretty bad, but I feel a lot better about my tee so far this season. This season my goal is to just have some more fun and win some matches.”

   Coach David Asuncion stated, “We’ve had a couple of good matches so far, and we’re on our way to get where we need to be to be successful, as we’re trying to win a League Title.” To practice for this, he said, “Some days we’ll meet up at the range.The kids will go on their own to play a few rounds, and work on different things like chipping and putting [small strokes made to get the ball closer to the hole and into the hole, respectively].”

   “One of the hardest matches we’ve had this season was the one against La Costa Canyon High School, which I believe we ended up losing by about eight strokes. They were pretty good players,” said Wood.

   While in other sports the aim may be to run as fast as possible or tackle another player, Asuncion stated, “Golf is more of a mental game, and you’re really trying to get out of it emotionally. Your only thoughts should be about being confident in your swing, and that everything is where it needs to be.”

   While golf may not be a sport that physically tires players out as much as some others, it requires plenty of other skills that take time to amass. With strong hand-eye coordination being needed, and every millimeter counting, it’s hard not to crack under the pressure. Regardless, whether it’s making tough shots in practice or a match, the Boys Golf Team advances and looks forward to this year’s matches and victories.