By Andrew Browning

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Senior Nathan Mueting hasn’t played a round of golf in an uncomfortably long time. Last year at the State meet he shot the second lowest score on the team, 79, but the Hounds still failed to make the cut by six strokes. The team could have a legitimate chance as a title contender this season as it returns all five State participants from last year, but the harsh Indiana winter this year has prevented them from actually hitting the course. Yet Mueting and many of his teammates said they have found ways to work around the unforgiving climate and continue to improve their game.

“I just hit balls at Prairie View Golf Academy three times a week,” Mueting said. “It’s indoor stalls that are heated and you’re inside but you’re hitting out of big garage doors. It’s cool, and it’s an advantage for living in cold weather and still being able to hit outside.”

A common adage among high school sports coaches is, “Champions are made in the off-season.” But can that really be the case when all a player has to work with to improve his game is a heated garage? Head Coach Chad Carr said he still believes the winter is a valuable training period for his players.

“Players who take the game seriously know golf is a year-round sport. Players will work on their game in the winter, as this is a critical time to make improvements and focus on their swing,” Carr said via e-mail. “Some players will see a swing coach throughout the winter, hit balls out of heated stalls at the driving range, as well as work on their short game. The bottom line is they are doing something to keep their game in tune or working on ways to improve it.”

Although players have the option of working on their short game on indoor greens, Mueting said that is an aspect of the game that is tough to recreate indoors.

“Prairie View has an indoor green and you can putt on it but it’s not the greatest,” he said. “That’s one big disadvantage, but everybody’s going through it so when it comes to tryouts it’s a level playing field.”

Tryouts for the team begin March 15, the first day official practice is allowed. Senior Grant Meade said he expects the first few days to be a bit of a challenge since none of the players will have many rounds under their belt yet.

“It’s tough. That’s where, I guess for the first couple weeks talent kind of wins out, and everything relies on fundamentals,” Meade said. “You don’t really gain your feel until April.”

With the team’s first match of the year on March 30, a mere two weeks after tryouts, there could be some concern as to whether or not the players will be ready. Carr said it takes every golfer a different amount of time to shake off the rust, but those who have spent time working on their game over the winter, like Mueting and Meade, are typically quickest to find their stride.

“It depends on how much effort they have put in over the winter. Those who have prepared usually get back into the flow of things in a few weeks,” Carr said. “I have a team of dedicated players who are looking forward to our first match.”

Although they may not have very much time to prepare for their first match, the Hounds’ varsity golfers will still bring plenty of experience to the table. All five of last year’s State participants return this season as seniors, and Mueting said he hopes that leadership can help establish a winning work ethic.

“Obviously we are hoping to give it a run at State, and hopefully the people who need to step up can step up and everybody’s working hard,” Mueting said. “If everybody’s doing what they need to be doing things will turn out well.”

“The fact that I have five State participants returning is a wonderful thing,” Carr said. “But we can’t rely on what we did in the past. We can only focus on what we have to do in the future.”