Linksmen Return Three Top Swingers

Author: Jeff Martin

The Middlebury College golf team will open up its fall season this weekend, as they play host to the Duke Nelson Tournament. Over 20 New England colleges will take part in the annual fall tournament held at the Ralph Myhre Golf Course.
While the team is focused on this weekend's upcoming rounds, they are also looking eagerly ahead to a fall filled with eight big events, including the prized New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC), Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) and New England championships. With such a busy schedule ahead, there will be ample opportunity for the team to record some of its lowest scores yet.
The team returns three starters from a year ago, including Damon Gacicia, '02.5, Brad Tufts '03 and Ryan Simper '03. Also returning are underclassmen Ryan Birtwell '04, Chuck Clement '04, Tim Quinn '04, Jeff Wetter '04 and Adam Sureau '05. They will be fighting alongside several talented first-year players to work their way into the Panther's top-five.
The Panthers received some unfortunate news pertaining to their roster, as Dave Greiner '03, the team's super-athlete, decided not to rejoin the Panthers this fall. Greiner has instead decided to, "make a career change and hang up the sticks, at least for the season, to concentrate more on hockey and finding a job."
Greiner did have some pleasant words for his former teammates and their outlook for the season, "All the boys have new clubs. Tufts and Simper have new irons, and Gacicia found some driver during the Ames blowout sale that's helping him get it out there over 200 yards now." So confident is Greiner in his former team that he even went as far as to predict victories at both the NESCAC and New England championships.
Yet if the team is to reach that level, it will have to overcome several obstacles. Many of the players commented on the brutal playing conditions they will be facing this fall due to an excessively hot and dry summer across the Northeast. Team spokesman and four-year starter Simper told the media at Tuesday's press conference that, "the drought has made the course dry and brown and hard, which makes it tough for us, but it makes it tough for everyone else too."
Despite the uncertainty of the team's roster and formidable course conditions, the men are outwardly enthusiastic about a promising and rapidly approaching season. Simper added, "Our biggest challenge will be the same as always — getting everyone to play a decent round on the same day." Coach Bill Beaney will again direct the men's golf team this fall, and he furthered commented on Simper's point. "If and when that occurs, our squad will be very tough to compete with. We are all undoubtedly looking forward to fulfilling such goals this season."