With the 2015 spring sports season rapidly coming to a close, the AHS girls golf team is happy to finally be able to play on an actual golf course that’s outside. Usually the girls are confined to practicing in the Junior Golf building at the Aspen Golf Course because there is still snow on the ground when their season starts. Although the team was at a disadvantage compared to places like Glenwood and Grand Valley, who could practice on real courses, they still blew the competition away at the early tournaments.

The first tournament of the year at Chipeta the scramble team took first place. The second tournament at Cobble Creek the team got an overall score of 277, which put the girls in 6th place out of 21 teams. Varsity player Dolores Sharaf even got fourth out of the competition. Even though to some a sixth place win does not seem worthy of a celebration, the girls were ecstatic over their place in the tournament.

“In the past our team has never been really successful as a unit but this year with so many good players we’re trying to change that. There are some tough teams out there and for us beating 25 of them is a accomplishment,” junior and varsity player Dolores Sharaf said.

These early wins have really inspired the team to keep doing well the rest of the season. One of their goals is to get their banner hanging in the gym, which means a win at regionals. With only a team of seven, some would see that as a disadvantage but both the girls and the coach are happy with the size.

“I think the team is perfect size because I get to work with everybody on an individual basis. We also get to do group lessons and I can have some of the group working on chipping while I’m working on full swing with the rest of the group. I’ve also been using the seniors to keep an eye on the newer golfers to help them improve throughout the practice,” head coach Don Buchholz said.

Because of the small number of girls who play, some of the younger players worry that there won’t be enough players to continue the team in the future. But Buchholz is very optimistic about the future popularity of the sport.

“We’re hoping to add a lot of excitement to the sport with the new uniforms the players are wearing proudly around the school. We’re also going to put the sophomore and junior players to work recruiting for next year,” Buchholz said.

With regionals coming up soon the girls have been practicing hard to ensure the win that will secure them a spot at a states, which will be held at River Valley Ranch in Carbondale on May 17-19.