Men struggle to ninth place at Skidmore Invite Harrison Bane '08 and George Baumann '08 lead Midd with two-day total of 162

Author: Jake Cohen

The men's and women's Middlebury golf teams constantly push the threshold of success. At each tournament, the Panthers struggle through unpredictable elements, streaky players and challenging courses. But unique to these golf teams is the brevity of their seasons. This spring, the men's and women's teams will only play five tournaments each, compared to the 30-game hockey season and the 13-game lacrosse season. Thus, every competition is always tense, always important and a rare chance for triumph. Nevertheless, the Panther squads have thrived thus far and are poised for continued success.

The women's golf team has achieved unbelievable accomplishments this season. First and foremost, the girls have been able to earn a fifth place national ranking with only four players - usually a team is five players and the best four scores are counted. But for this Panther squad, there is literally no room for error. Captain Heather Gallagher '07 isn't phased by the lack of extra players. "Having only four players is very good for our golf and our team cohesion - every shot for every player counts." The women's team is also employing a new practice strategy this season: win it in and around the greens. Led by Coach Bill Beany, the Panthers are paying particular attention to their short game. After all, a wise golfer once said, "Drive for show, putt for dough."

The women finished seventh overall at the Jekyll Island tournament over spring break in Georgia. Gallagher lead the team with a three-day total of 254, tying her for 19th place overall. First-year Julie Ellenberger finished with a 256, followed by senior Sally Hartman (258) and sophomore Karen Levin (262). Coach Beany hopes to lead his squad to victory against primary competitors like Mount Holyoke, St. Lawrence and Wellesley College in future competitions. The team looks forward to the tournament at Amherst College this weekend as an opportunity to once more rise above the field. Junior twins Allison and Kelly Ortega, both abroad, are crucial missing links of the team this spring. Within a few years, the squad hopes to have a fully developed program and a number one national ranking - the team turned varsity only two and a half years ago.

The men also started their spring season in Georgia at the Jekyll Island Collegiate Invitational. A total of 24 teams were invited to play, all of which compete at a very high level. The Panthers finished 18th with strong efforts all around. Harrison Bane '08.5 led the team with a three-day total of 235. Veteran junior Chad Bellmare finished one stroke back to tie for 60th. Captain Mitch St. Peter, class of '06, placed third on the team with 244 while sophomores George Baumann and Jeff Patterson scored 248 and 252, respectively. Many of the golfers were discouraged by these results but quickly rebounded their efforts for this past weekend.

On April 16-17, Skidmore College held the Palamountain Intercollegiate Golf Tournament. The Panthers finished ninth among the 12 participating teams, including regional rivals Williams. Baumann made an impressive jump from his finish in Georgia by co-leading the team with Bane, each finishing in 24th place with a two-day total of 162. Bellmare ended with 165, followed by St. Peter (167) and junior Brett Sherriffs (178). This tournament was a good opportunity for the team to regroup, especially individually. Captain St. Peter explained that "golf builds character. As with other individual sports, one has to rely entirely on one's self in order to do well." All of the golfers on the team have been very supportive of each other, which has certainly helped imrove their play of crucial moments.