Preparation for the Spring

Not only are the players going through a workout program with our Strength and Conditioning Coach but they are going to have the privilege to work with a simulator over the off season.  We now have an OptiShot and it works great with irons.  It is the hope that this will allow the players to dial in the scoring clubs while getting a better understanding of their ball flights.  We will also be demoing a FlightScope for 1 week so see the different paths and numbers that we can get.  It should allow the players to get the most out of this demo and continue to work hard during the off season in preparation for the spring. 

Off Season

With the off season now underway, it is time for the players to start preparing for what they will be doing.  At the end of this week, the players will begin their workouts with our Strength and Conditioning Coach.  These workouts will work on rotation, flexibility, and core strength - the main fitness for golfers.  Also during this time, the players will have the opportunity to hit balls into a net.  We have just purchased an OptiShot simulator so players can continue to work on getting consistent with their clubs, mainly the irons.  Throughout the off season, I am able to work with the players periodically to help them tweak a few parts of the swing that might help them become more consistent.  I will be using my sight along with video to show the players the different aspects of the swing.  This provides easier feedback to each player and we will be able to view the results from the beginning to the end.  I am looking forward to watching the players gain strength and continue to work on their swings over the off season.

Season Complete

Women's Golf:

Even with a 4 hour delay on Friday, we were able to complete all 36 holes of the last weekend of the IIAC Conference Tournament. Sitting in 6th place, it was a goal to reach 5th by the end.  Even though we may not have posted our best rounds, we were able to stay in 6th place overall, which is 2 spots a head of last years finish.  As a second year coach, it was great to see the improvements and achievements of the players and to watch their hard work pay off in the end. 

Men's and Women's:

Going into the off season, we will be preparing for our fitness program to start. Talking with a few new people who are certified in golf fitness, we are going to have the privilege to work with them to continue to grow the program and take us to the next level.  We have also just added a simulator, the OptiShot, to our program.  This will allow players to hit balls in different spots and get feedback with distances and directions to improve and prepare for the next season. 

Keep an eye out over the off season for future blogs.

Season Ending Soon

Women's Golf:

With the season almost over, the individuals on the women's team have decided to peak.  This being said, we have moved from 7th for seeding to 6th in the standings for the conference tournament.  We are currently 24 strokes out of 5th with 2 days left.  During the first 2 rounds of conference, there have been more achievements made.  Senior Nora Seda has shot her lowest collegiate round - 89 and Freshman Lizzy Kim has shot her lowest competitive round - 98.  With this year having several achievements made, I am looking forward to the end of the season.  It has been a successful year when looking at the numbers.  Keep an eye out for the final blog of the season with results from the conference tournament.

Men's Golf:

The men are competing in the final event of their season in the Twin Cities which is a 3 day event.  As of right now, after round 2, the men are sitting in 9th place out of 19 and only 6 strokes out of 5th.  Looking to make a big move on the final day, the players are posting good scores.  At this time, we also have 2 players inside the top 15.  Jaxson Armstrong (Sr.) and John Bral (So.) are T-13 with an overall score of +5 which is only 4 strokes out of 1st.  It will be a fight to finish strong at LaSueur CC but it is my hope to see them along with the team and the other players finish on a strong note going into the off season.

Last Couple Weeks

Women:  
This past weekend, the women traveled to Iowa Lakes for their invite.  It was a great day with a little bit of wind.  During this tournament, we had a few major successes.  Freshman, Hanna Zinn, made her first career birdies (3) and shot her lowest competitive round of her life (97).  Also, Megan Myers tied for 1st individually shooting a 91.  These successes are coming at a great time as prepare for the IIAC conference tournament this weekend and next.

Men:
The men also traveled to Iowa Lakes this past weekend.  This tournament was not our best showing but we still were able to get a competition in and better understand what we need to work on.  This weekend, the men finish up their fall season with a 3-day event in the Twin Cities.  This will be a great time for those players to show their talent and play well.  With the off-season coming up quickly, it would be great to finish this season on a strong note.

Lakes Cup and Iowa Lakes Invite

On Saturday, the men will be competing in the Ryder Cup format tournament between Iowa Lakes and BVU called the Lakes Cup.  This event began in 2012 with BVU hosting and winning the inaugural Lakes Cup.  With this quickly becoming a yearly event, Iowa Lakes won the cup in 2013 as the hosted the event.  This year it is back on BVU turf where the men's team is looking to regain control of the cup.  It is going to be a fun event with tough battles along the way

Also, on Sunday, the men and women travel to Iowa Lakes for their home invite.  We are looking to have a good showing there with a good potential for players to place along with a good team showing with conference coming soon for the women and the Twin Cities Classic coming for the men. 

We'll keep you posted on who holds the Lakes Cup and how the men and women did at Iowa Lakes.

Bumps in the Road

Women: 
This past weekend, the women's golf team traveled to Lake City, MN to compete in the D III Classic hosted by Carleton College.  It was a new course to half of the team and it was interesting to see how they handled it.  When looking at the scores, it shows that a new course with some difficult holes will cause a few bumps in the road.  What we are working on now is preparing for the last tournament next weekend at Iowa Lakes and conference.  The girls understand that we did not play our best this past weekend but are showing more determination to prepare for conference.  The best part about golf is that we get to forget the past shots/rounds and focus on our goals ahead.  As we move forward, we will continue to strive for our overall goal and achieve many small goals on the way.  We will be bearing down these next two weeks to mentally and physically prepare our games to compete at our highest level during conference. 

Men:
The men's team did not compete this past weekend.  It was a great weekend off to prepare for the upcoming last events of the fall.  This weekend, BVU will be hosting the Lakes Cup, which is a Ryder Cup format between BVU and Iowa Lakes.  With the title in their hands for now, we are looking to outperform them and get that title back.  On Sunday after the Lakes Cup, they travel to Iowa Lakes turf to compete in their home invite.  We will be preparing for this event and our last fall event in the Twin Cities this week and next.  We are going to end our season on a high note so we are able to come back in the spring with nothing but confidence on our minds.

Tournament Updates

Men:  The men competed in their first two events of the year September 5-8.  They played in the Siouxland invitational and the Mt. Mercy invite.  During these events we had some ups and downs.  The Siouxland was a great tournament showing for them being their first tournament.  Shooting a 304-309 for a two day total of 613 which put us in 7th of 11 teams.  Also during this tournament, SO. John Bral shot a two day total of 146 putting him in 7th place individually.  As golf is a game that can change quickly, we posted a troubled score the first day of the Mt. Mercy but fought back the second day improving our team score.  With a couple of weeks off before the next tournament, we will be able to work hard and improve in all aspects of the game that will best prepare us for all future tournaments.  It will be a great finish to their fall season ending at the Twin Cities Classic in MN which is played at 3 great courses.  Keep an eye out for their scores in future tournaments.

Women:  The women played in Waverly, IA this past weekend in Wartburg's invite.  Playing a course the freshman and newcomer have not played, it was a slight shock to them.  Although we may not have performed our best, we have lowered our score in each competitive round since the start.  Posting a 378-369, we are moving in the right direction to be ready for conference.  During this tournament, newcomer, Megan Myers, shot the best round of her life, 89, on day 1.  It is always great to hear these accomplishments.  It is great as a coach to watch all their hard work pay off.  The women travel to MN this weekend to play in Carleton College's invite at The Jewell golf course.  I look forward to this weeks practice to see the improvements made at this upcoming tournament. We will keep fighting throughout the season to continue to lower our scores and prepare for our conference tournament beginning at the end of the month.

Beginning of Season

With the beginning of the season finally underway, it was a great start for the women's team.  Although we may have not placed where we wanted, we saw much improvement from day 1 to day 2.  With 29 strokes cut off, round 2 was a great sight for me as a coach.  It has showed that our hard work and determination will allow us to continue to improve and prepare for the conference tournament at the end of the month.

As far as the men's program goes, they begin the competitions this weekend with 2 tournaments in 4 straight days.  They are traveling to Orange City on Thursday and Friday and over the weekend travel to Cedar Rapids to play at Mt. Mercy's invite.  I am looking forward to see how we can come back from last year and show our competition we are ready for any tournament.

New Season

Let the new season begin!

The women's program has already been here for 1 week.  During this time, we have worked hard to prepare ourselves for our first tournament which is held at Hunters Ridge on Aug. 30-31.  Throughout our pre-season practice, there has been huge transitions made.  I can tell that each player is looking forward to a great season with lots of goals achieved and constant improvement.  It will be fun to watch the players continue to grow in the game over the year and compete for individual and team awards.

The men's team begins practice Monday.  We will be hitting it hard with 3 rounds played in the first week.  I am looking forward to a new year with them to continue to watch them grow and compete in each and every tournament. Although the majority of my focus will be with the women, I look forward to working with the men to help them improve and prepare for the spring season.

Summer

As it seems as if we are still awaiting summer to begin, it is tough to get out to the golf course due to the wet weather.  It is my hope that all players are using the nice days to their advantage.  This summer will be a great time to continue to work on the game to improve and prepare for next season.  I am looking forward to the start of next season to see the improvements of each player and welcome the incoming players to the teams. 

End of the Year

As the spring season came and went extremely quick, it was still great to see all the improvements in each player.  The men ended up placing 6th in the conference. There was some struggle on the first day, but as a whole, we played well and I am proud of my team. Even though we may not have placed as high as we wanted, there were many goals accomplished throughout the year.  With our varsity squad being filled with mainly returning players, I am looking forward to the upcoming years which will be filled with upcoming players.  For both the men's and women's team, it was a great recruiting year as there a several players joining the teams that will give both conference and our own lineups some competition.  Now that my first year has come to an end, I can definitely say I have learned so much from the players and other coaches that will allow us to continue to grow and improve in the game throughout the next years.  This summer is a great opportunity for the players to continue to work hard and prepare for the upcoming seasons.  Keep an eye out for updates this summer and early next fall!

Go Beavers!

Golf Weather

Men

With the spring season being cut rather short due to mother nature, it is nice to say that we got a full weekend in for the first two rounds of the conference golf tournament, which was hosted at Finkbine Golf Course in Iowa City.  With the first day weather being a bit chilly and windy, there were some teams that struggled and scores were much higher than normal.  The weather took a toll on the players.  After day one, we were able to regroup and play much better on the second day.  After the first weekend of the tournament, BVU sits in 6th place.  Next weekend is the final two rounds and will be hosted at Elmcrest Country Club, which is the home of PGA Pro Zach Johnson.  It will be a challenge to all teams so the goal is to move up and finish in the top 4.  With a good week of weather we will be able to prepare ourselves for whatever comes our way and play the best golf we can.

Women

With mother nature not cooperating with golf this spring, the women's season was cut very short.  The last tournament of the season of the year was supposed to be last Tuesday but again cancelled due to weather.  The women played two full rounds of golf this spring and was in the beginning holes of their third round when it was cancelled due to weather.  From the beginning of the Fall season, the women continuously improved and lowered their team score ~40 strokes.  This is a huge achievement and I look forward to watching more improvement over the next couple of years.

Winter Weather

It seems as if mother nature is not happy with outdoor sports this spring.  Since the start of the 'spring' season, BVU golf has played 4 rounds of competitive golf between the men and women.  This weekend was supposed to be a busy weekend of golf for both teams with the men hosting their spring invite Friday and Saturday and traveling to Iowa Lakes for a tournament Sunday while the women traveled to Waverly for a 2 day event.  Due to the wintery weather, all of the men's tournaments had to be canceled or postponed.  The women were lucky enough to still have their event in Waverly.  With that in mind, keep an eye on the scores to see how the women are doing.  After this week, the women are almost done with one more tournament on Tuesday in Orange City.  The men, however, have a couple of weeks left and we are hoping for some nicer weather.  Next week brings the first 2 rounds of the conference tournament which is held at Finkbine Golf Course in Iowa City.  It will be interesting to see how the men prepare for these first 2 rounds.  With the talent we have, it would be nice to go out on a positive note with the women and have a good start to the conference tournament for the men.  Go Beavers!  

A Day for Golf

As the week starts off with a decent day for golf, the BVU women's team competed in the Iowa Central Invite in Fort Dodge.  Although the weather was still a factor, the women showed great mental toughness and were able to post a great score of 355, which is their lowest round of the year.  Leading the Beavers was senior Arinda Abbuhl who shot her lowest competitive round in her college career with an 81.  It is great to see all of the hard work paying off along with continuous improvement.

While the women were competing in Fort Dodge, the men were at home practicing and preparing for our upcoming home invite.  This weekend is going to be a great time to show our conference that we are ready to fight for the conference title which begins the following weekend.  With tomorrow scheduled to be another nice day, we are hoping to get out there and really focus on improving in each aspect of the game.  As of right now, we are keeping our fingers crossed that mother nature will cooperate with us and hold off any more winter weather so we are able to compete.

Past and Upcoming Week

Men:

The men just got back last night from Waverly, IA for the Wartburg Invite.  Again mother nature was not cooperating with the game of golf and the tournament was cut short to a one day event.  The weather made the links style course difficult but the players showed mental toughness and played well.  Our total score was 314.  With conditions the way they were, it was a great finish for us.  This upcoming week will be preparation for our home invite which is Friday and Saturday.  With mother nature again trying to get in the way, we are keeping our fingers crossed that the weather will cooperate and we will be able to host this event. 

Women:

Tomorrow the women travel to Fort Dodge to play in the Iowa Central Invite.  Although the weather is supposed to bring rain today, it looks like we are supposed to have nice weather tomorrow.  Even though we were unable to practice last week, the girls have been working hard and are going to play the best they can tomorrow.  This upcoming week will be further preparation for the upcoming tournament in Waverly. 

Mother Nature

As we are approaching the end of the 2nd week of April, mother nature is causing many problems for the golf program.  With only 1 tournament in the books between both teams, we are hoping that the weather cooperates and allows us to be outside for practice.  This week has been a struggle for practices.  With a tournament for each team coming up within the week, we are working on mentally preparing for any conditions to score well.  Although we are not outside on our physical games outside, I believe that all of the players are still using their time to prepare themselves for their upcoming tournament.  Golf is a game that is 90% mental so this delay in our practices proposes a great chance to better our minds.  The hope is that the weather will cooperate and we will be able to get outside for a short practice Friday at the latest.  This will give us one more chance to prepare for the upcoming tournament.  If we can bring our mental and physical games together, I believe that we can compete with the best of them.  Keep a lookout for the next blog after the upcoming tournaments.

Start to Spring

It has been a crazy start to the spring season.  As a coach, I was hoping to get out to the course as soon as we got back from our spring break trip to Myrtle Beach.  Due to mother nature that did not happen and we are trying to find the best way to prepare for the opening tournaments.  With the weather, the first tournaments have been cancelled or postponed.  This has been taken as a good and a bad thing to me.  It makes it difficult to get into the competition mode, but, at the same time, it allows us to get mentally and physically prepared for the first tournament.  Right now, the first tournaments are scheduled for April 13-14 for the men and April 15 for the women.  Spring break allowed reality to set in and it indicated what we need to do as a team to best prepare ourselves for the season.  Even though the start is slow, I have confidence that we will be ready to go for the first tournament and continue to complete goals throughout the season.

Mid-Spring Break

Men

As we come close to ending our Spring Break down here in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, it has been interesting to see the start of the men's season. The first practice round down here was a struggle. High winds and a tree lined course led to some high rounds and some low attitudes, but as the week has come along, so have the men. They are continuing to work hard to prepare for this season, which has come up fast!

Barefoot resort has given us some great experiences by playing on some wonderful courses created by some of the best professional golfers and architects. The competition we had at Methodist University in Fayetteville, North Carolina was an eye opening experience for the men. Competition has snuck up on us with the quick passing of the semester, but we will be ready for our return to Iowa and the rest of the season. Tomorrow is a practice day for the men at the practice facility here at Barefoot Resort. It should be a very beneficial time for them.

Women

With the Spring Season being the women's off season, it is great to see my players working as hard as they do, even when we are on the practice facility here in South Carolina. Though the courses and conditions have been rough, all of them have had a great attitude while playing and are taking advantage of their first spring break as a team. Tomorrow will be a practice day for the ladies, as we have a tournament against Capital University on Saturday. Though it is a competition, the girls are in high spirits to be able to play with new women and on a new course, as always. With this being the first Spring Break trip for the women's team, I think they are enjoying themselves and are looking forward to future trips.

The Beginning

Men's Golf

As a former player and now coach I am excited to start the season.  To begin our spring season we are traveling to Myrtle Beach, SC.  During this time we will be focusing on preparing for the upcoming season while having fun.  A big component to the trip will be focusing on 1) getting the swing back after a long winter and 2) working on each aspect of the game.  The players have spent the off-season completing a fitness routine to continue and gain strength and, hitting balls inside.  I have seen progress throughout and I look forward to seeing the transition to the game/scores when we get outdoors.  I look forward to all the success and accomplishments we have as a program throughout the upcoming season.

Women's Golf

As a team, we will also be traveling to Myrtle Beach, SC and working on all aspects of the game.  Although spring is not the main season, I still look forward to seeing the results of what was worked on in the off-season.  Throughout the fall season, I continuously saw improvements in each of the players and I look forward to the upcoming season and next year.  I would like to end by congratulating the women's team on accomplishing many goals throughout the fall season and making a great transition into the next level of golf.  Seeing a ~50 stroke difference from start to finish is a great season!

Go Beavers!