April 8, 2021 at 8:33 a.m.
Hodag golfers enjoying a head start
Hodag golfers enjoying a head start
Credit Mother Nature in that regard, with a key assist from the new Hodag Dome.
The Hodags returned from spring break and are wrapping up their 15 allotted contact days this week prior to the official start of the season. Thanks to the March thaw, the plan was to spend the final five contact days outside either on the practice range, or actually out on the course. That luxury was gifted to the team when its home courses - Northwood Golf Club and Rhinelander Country Club - both opened for play on Tuesday.
"We'll see how everything works out, but it's exciting that the weather finally cooperated with us. And starting a little bit later is nice, too," Hodag golf coach Adam Schmidt said.
Monday was the first time members of the team gathered to hit outside. Prior to spring break, all of the team's work was done inside the Hodag Dome, either chipping into nets or working on full swings in the dome's two golf simulators.
Schmidt said he could tell how much the indoor practice helped as the team began hitting off grass for the first time this year.
"Just being able to hit balls in the dome was huge, to be able to work on their swings, fine-tune some things, it's just a whole lot easier," he said.
"The kids have a lot higher success rate," Schmidt added. "Their swings look way better. The first couple of days we were on the range, at the dome, their swings were really rough. You could tell they were rough from the wintertime. Now, you're looking at them and a lot of them were really smooth."
As for the team itself, numbers are low this year, due to some unforeseen attrition during the contact day period.
"I had a couple of kids go down with COVID. One kid got hurt playing basketball. That puts us to seven right now," Schmidt said. "That makes it pretty challenging. It's going to be interesting. There are a lot of kids that are starting to have nice, smooth swings, so we'll see what the numbers are."
Of those seven, only two were on the varsity squad the last time the team played a competitive round. Kole Gechas started in all seven Great Northern Conference meets as a freshman two years ago, earning honorable mention by tying for 12th in the final GNC point standings. Fellow junior Garrett Kulhanek worked his way into a varsity role by the end of the 2019 season, starting in two conference matches and WIAA regionals.
"We have a small team. Normally, I'd be really nervous, but we've got some kids that are coming back. Garrett's swing has gotten a whole lot better. Kole's has gotten a whole lot better," Schmidt said.
As for the rest of the squad, the extra practice time has given Schmidt some ideas as to who will fill out the rest of his five-player starting lineup, but those answers won't be known for sure until the players get some rounds under their belts.
"That's the greatest thing about golf. It's all about their numbers," Schmidt said. "If Player A shoots 47 and Player B shoots 46, Player B is going to play."
This week of coaching contact has not just been about getting a few swings in outdoors while gearing up for the season. There has been some volunteering as well as the team did some spring cleanup both at Northwood and Rhinelander Country Club. Schmidt said it a way of thanking the courses for allowing the team to use their facilities.
There will be no coaching contact next week - part of a mandatory dead period instituted by the WIAA prior to the start of official spring practice on April 19. But, with the courses open for play, Schmidt is confident his players will find a way to squeeze in a little more golf before the team reconvenes next week.
"You'll see the ones that want to play, that want to be better at it. They're going to be the ones that come out here and play. They'll be the ones that take advantage of it," he said. "You're on the team and you get to play for free. It's nice that Northwood allows the school and the kids on the team to come out and do that. That's why we always try to give back, picking up sticks and just helping them clean up the course."
The team's first official match is set for Friday, April 23 - a nine-team invite hosted by Medford High School at Black River Golf Course.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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