Windy weather and inexperience hindered the Belmont golf team from taking provincials by storm.
“We were very happy to get there, we played well in our first competitions (of the season), but in the B.C.’s our inexperience caught up with us,” said coach Ken Lowe.
Weather made the high school championships challenging across the board, said Lowe. The average student score was 86 on the 72 par course.
Belmont finished in 18th place at Crown Isle Golf Course in Courtney last week.
The Belmont golf team won the Lower Island Championships and placed second at Island Championships to earn the spot at provincials.
“This group has surprised me all year,” said coach Ken Lowe. “This group was unknown to me, I thought it was a rebuilding year.”
Last year, the golf team had four Grade 12 students and Dylan Bell who was in Grade 11.
Bell, now in Grade 12 is the only senior on the team. He won the high school police tournament at Olympic View Golf Club.
“He’s a great role model. He consistently shoots par or close to it,” Lowe said.
While Lowe said Bell is the No. 1 player on the team, at each event other players scores are added together building a team score. The younger players have impressed the coach.
“It is a different mentality playing on a team and not for myself,” said Tyler Stanton, 17.
Stanton said he’s strongest at hitting the ball off the tee and his teammate Tyson Girardet,16, is more skilled at short play involving putting a chipping.
The two youngest players on the team are Grade 9 students Bryce Tickner and Ryan Backhouse.