The weather was a major factor in the Blue Devils’ match on April 2, with temperatures barely breaking 40 degrees and a persistent wind making the course difficult to navigate. However, head coach Kevin Everley noted that “almost every match” thus far has entertained winds “blowing over 10 mph” training the golfers to be “used to it by now.”
Westfield faced Cranford at their home course, Echo Lake Country Club, and finished victorious, 195-219, regardless of the hindering circumstances.
“The weather definitely affects my course management,” said junior captain Lily Patel. “Playing with wind is probably one of the toughest things in golf. The ball will freeze up and not travel as far, so I really had to take it shot-by-shot.”
After tallying the scores, and with the “greens rolling pretty well,” Patel believed she and opponent, sophomore Cougar Megan Wukovits, would be “pretty close” in overall score.
Patel was wrong.
Shooting a blistering 39 with 6 pars, a bogey and a double-bogey, Patel outscored everyone. “I clutched up with some of my puts today. I think my putting and short game really held up and managed to put up a decent score,” said Patel.
Coming in second overall, junior Ella Dolling also managed to outlast the weather. Dolling shot 5 bogeys and 4 double-bogeys, to finish with a score of 48, a personal all-time low. “I was really good at my short game and my drives were pretty good too,” said Dolling. She also found humor in her performance, attributing it to the unexpected effects of chilly air. “My feet are really cold. My hands are really cold. So, I don’t really know why I played well today. Maybe the layers are helping me, usually they don’t,” she said with a laugh.
Dolling’s standout moment came on the eighth hole, when she nailed her fourth shot, landing it right next to the pin before sinking a one-putt for a bogey and her best shot of the day. “It’s all about distance control especially when coming into the greens and it becomes very difficult when it’s windy,” said Everley.
Senior Claire Gallagher was candid about her performance, admitting that the day didn’t go as planned. “Definitely not my best day,” she said. “The weather definitely came into play. It was really cold today, and with all of the layers I got stiff.” Gallagher finished with one par, and two bogeys, and even with her unfiltered opinions on her result, she was able to tie her opponent, Cranford’s Sofia Bloom, for an overall score of 56 strokes.
Despite a less-than-perfect round, Gallagher did find some silver linings. She particularly worked on her driver, which had been struggling lately, and was pleased with the progress. “Once you get that first tee shot nice and long, it sets you up for a good score,” she said. A highlight of her round came when she secured a par on the third hole, which helped her regain momentum after a rough start.
The remaining Westfield golfers held their own and aided in the victorious outcome: junior Jayden Pfiser tied for third overall with a score of 52, senior Anaya Villacreses shot a 56 and sophomore Taylor Bloch scored 59.
The focus for many of the players is refining their short game. “Getting up and down within 50 yards and in, getting the ball up high and soft out of the bunkers, reading greens—that’s what we’ll focus a lot on,” Everley said. The team’s focus is on mastering these crucial skills, which can make or break a round in challenging conditions.
Looking ahead, Patel knows the team will need to step up to challenge their division’s biggest competitor, Kent Place. “We just lost to them, but we only lost by ten strokes,” she said. “When four scorers can count, that can change easily, so we definitely have it in us to beat them.”
The Blue Devils’ next stepping stone will be at the Red Devil Invitational at Cooper Hill Country Club on April 7. It will be their first 18-hole competition to prove their abilities in rough weather and continue their momentum toward a division title.
