Author: Charlotte Evans
DragonRidge Junior Golfers made an incredible showing at the Southwest Sectionals recently, winning 1st Place, 3rd Place, and 3rd Place in their respective competitions. Each team of six players played exceptionally well, but the surprise dominance of our Championship Team (comprised of two boys and four girls in the 17 & Under division) did not go unnoticed.
“It was fun,” said Head Coach Mike Davis. “Our team played against some powerhouse teams from Arizona that had a hundred kids try out to make the team.”
Knowing the field was tough, Coach Davis crafted a unique strategy to help our homegrown team put points on the board to win the Championship. It was a bit of a gamble, but it paid off.
“They had two boys who were quite good, and I had two boys who were quite good. It would have been a good match to see them go head to head, but playing against them on their home course, it’s possible we would lose,” said Davis.
So, Coach Davis reverse engineered his lineup. He had his fifth and sixth-ranked players go up against what he anticipated was the opposition’s top A pairing. Then Coach Davis split his top two boys into coed pairs with his top two girls and had them play the oppositions B and C players. “Both girls are fairly new, but they both swing over 100 miles an hour,” added Davis. “They hit the ball about 300 yards, so I knew they would be strong partners.”
The twosomes all played three, 3-hole matches against their opponents, with each match being worth a point. In the end, the DragonRidge team put the most points on the board, crushing one of the fiercest teams in the southwest.
“We won all three points in two of the matches, and they won all three points in the match played by their two best boys. Overall score, we beat them,” said Coach Davis. “They were good. If their coach had split them up, it might have been a different story.”
Soon, the DragonRidge Championship Team heads to the Regionals. (We will update you on their performance in the next issue of Highlander.)
Coach Davis said it’s important to note that his two remaining teams that won 3rd Place are very talented. “It includes another 17 and Under team, and a 13 and Under that are really very good. The teams are growing, and I am really looking forward to seeing what they can do next year.”
DragonRidge Golfer’s Diary
Essays By Bill Bowman
Over the coming months, Las Vegas-based golf writer Bill Bowman will give readers a look at DragonRidge Country Club and all it has to offer for members and prospective members. From a challenging golf course, to an expanding Fitness Center, to impressive dining and other high-end amenities, Bill Bowman will showcase the ultimate lifestyle DragonRidge has to offer, on and off the Championship 18 Hole golf course.
To read Bill’s pieces, visit the DragonRidge website https://dragonridge.com
