On Monday, September 16, the girls’ varsity golf team competed against the Oldham County Mustangs at Sleepy Hollow Golf Course. Sleepy Hollow, a challenging course in Prospect, features long, straight holes, with the occasional uphill slope and a few holes with water as an obstacle. The course par is a 36.
The line-up for Manual included Ella Sizemore (10, YPAS) and Sophie Bynum (10, HSU). Both return to the team after a successful freshman year.
Because of the low number of Manual players, head coach Eric Purvis (Math) and Oldham County’s head coach mixed things up.
“This match was kinda low-key. We ended up playing a variety of Solheim competition. We played better ball, which isn’t what we normally do. Normally, we just play stroke play. And I think the players enjoyed it. It’s all about having fun and when you don’t have the numbers for a match, you gotta get a little creative, but keep it competitive instead of just coming out and playing just to play,” Purvis said.
They also decided that whoever got the best individual score for each hole would count towards the teams’ overall score.
Sizemore and Bynum were paired together, along with two other Oldham County players to start off the match. On the first hole, Sizemore hit a straight drive only a few feet from the green. Chipping the ball onto the green, she helped the duo finish the first hole with a birdie.
On the second hole, both Sizemore and Bynum hit their drives to the left, out of bounds, Re-teeing, both hit a second drive, but it cost them a stroke penalty. They ended up finishing the second hole with a double bogey.
On the third hole, Sizemore hit her drive to the right, while Bynum hit her shot straight into the fairway. Sizemore then got into some shrubbery trouble, while Bynum got to the green only a few shots later, resulting in a bogey finish on the hole.
On the fourth hole, Sizemore hit her drive straight. Bynum got into some tree trouble, but luckily, hit a clean shot out after only two tries. Sizemore ended up on the green shortly after, finishing the hole with a par.
Hole five featured the first par three of the course. Sizemore ended up hitting her first shot into the green. Bynum hit her shot short of the green, but got it on the green only a shot later. The team finished the hole with a par.
Holes six, which was a long uphill hole, and seven, which was the final par three hole, ended in the same result for Sizemore and Bynum: par.
Hole eight posed a little more of a challenge. Sizemore hit her shot to the right, while Bynum hit her shot short. Both players struggled to get their ball onto the green, especially because right in front of the green was a small, man-made body of water. They finished this hole with a double bogey.
On the ninth and final hole, Bynum hit a long, straight drive. Sizemore also hit a long, straight drive, but towards the right into the trees. Both players made it onto the green only a few strokes later and finished the hole with a bogey.
The Lady Crimsons finished five strokes over par, with a total score of 41.
“Today, I played ok. I practiced last week, so I was able to get some repetition in and felt a little more confident about my playing today. I’m just playing right now to prepare myself for regionals and to get to practice and play,” Sizemore said.
“Matches are difficult and sometimes the courses, specifically greens, can be harder to play on. But it’s always fun playing with friends and getting to play across the city,” Bynum said, reflecting on the season.
“These are two of the most dedicated players on the team. The work that they have put in this year, you can really see the results, now that we are later in the season. All the work they have put and as committed as they have been, showing up and coming to practice, coming to matches, like really gutting out matches, whether they had a good day or bad, they come out and give it their all and that is hard to do on a golf course when things aren’t going your way,” Purvis said, reflecting on Sizemore and Bynum.
This is the girls’ golf team last week with regular-season matches before regionals begin.
