Following a three-month pause after the fall season concluded, Indiana men’s golf will continue their 2021-22 season next weekend at the Big Ten Match Play Championship in Hammock Beach, Florida. Indiana will compete in six events from February to May this spring, traveling to four different states and the Bahamas.
Indiana’s last team event was in late October, when it competed at The Williams Cup in North Carolina. An up-and-down fall season for the Hoosiers saw them compete in six events, highlighted by a win in the Purdue Fall Invitational. The Hoosiers will return to West Lafayette on April 9-10 for the Boilermaker Invitational.
Despite the hiatus, the team remained dedicated to honing their craft.
“Although there wasn’t a single day we could go outside, we utilized our indoor facilities, got reps in and used the TrackMan,” head coach Mike Mayer said.
A TrackMan tracks and provides useful information and statistics regarding golfers’ shots. It is used primarily indoors through a simulator.
Mayer also mentioned that many of his golfers played in individual tournaments over the Christmas break. Although Indiana dealt with COVID-19 issues, the team was still able to focus on academics and strength and conditioning, the two aspects Mayer said he wanted to be the center of attention heading into the offseason. As a result of spending the time off wisely, Mayer stated that the team “has more left in the tank.”
When asked who was the most improved golfer for Indiana over the offseason, Mayer quickly brought up freshman Ethan Chelf, senior Harry Reynolds and fifth-year senior Evan Yakubov, all of whom have seen minimal time in Indiana’s starting lineup. Mayer said these golfers aren’t quitters and will keep challenging themselves to perform their best.
As Mayer looks ahead to the spring season, he has his expectations lined up for the squad.
“We want to come out with a little bounce in our step,” Mayer said. “We need to manage ourselves better as a whole and be a little tidier and sharper.”
Mayer pointed to the final two events of the fall as the reason for wanting to come out strong in the spring. Indiana finished ninth at the Quail Valley Collegiate Invitational and eighth at The Williams Cup. Mayer preached confidence, belief and moxy and said that Indiana believes it is better than its 41st overall ranking.
“We want to talk the talk and walk the walk,” Mayer said.
The spring season tees off with the Big Ten Match Play Championship on Feb. 4-5 and concludes with the Big Ten Championships on April 29-May 1. The NCAA Championships take place May 16-June 1.
