The Belmont Bulldogs golf team’s driving, chipping and putting talents have earned it a spot at provincials.
“I am pumped,” said Vince Michaud, a Grade 11 golfer. “Especially for the roadtrip.”
The Belmont golfers are competing against the top AAA teams in the province in Kamloops on May 30, at the Dunes Golf Course.
“We are going to play hard,” said Darren Day, a Grade 11 golfer.
One day before the golfers leave for Kamloops, they are playing in a qualifying match at Royal Colwood Golf Club for the B.C. Amateur Championships. That championship is also held at the Dunes, later in the season.
“(During the provincials) we will get to see the ins and outs of the course and get an idea about it,” said Grade 11 golfer Shawn Orr.
This season the team placed second in the city championships held at the Gorge Vale Golf Course on May 9 and first at the Island championships at Royal Colwood Golf Club on May 16.
At the Islands, Grade 10 golfer Dylan Bell shot a two-over 72, the lowest score for his team. The highest score among the five players was 78, still an enviable round for most adult players.
“The team has been very consistent, their scores don’t fluctuate,” said coach Ken Lowe adding that other teams had up to a 20 stroke separation among players. “We have a lot of quality players on the team. These guys know how to grind.”
While Bell, a Grade 10 player, is the youngest on the team, he has the most experience on the links.
“I’ve been golfing since I was three,” Bell said. “In my backyard I would hit range balls into the garage. I broke windows, but we just kept getting new windows.”
This season the squad has tasted success, but last year they struggled to keep their emotions in check on the course.
“Our mindset is better this year. We don’t blow up anymore,” Orr said, noting the team has a more positive mental attitude.
While the students golf with each other regularly, the team does do not have any official school practices.
Among the team, their favourite courses to train on are Royal Colwood Golf Club and Olympic View Golf Club.
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