This time of year, its more about the micro and less about the macro.
Heading into todays Durango Invitational at Hillcrest Golf Club, the Durango High School girls golf team is comfortable with swings. Coming down the stretch, its more about the little things.
Were not really going to change a whole lot, not in swing mechanics, just some course management and club selection, DHS head coach Kirk Rawles said.
I think, you know, in midseason, its tough to do anything drastic as far as swing changes go. I think its more mileage.
The Demons have found a lineup that suits them, adding to the collective comfort level.
Reiley Waldo inhabits the top spot, with Natalie Lyon, Brooke Kniffin, Haleigh Lyon and Amanda Rydiger lining up after that. Its led to a bevy of second-place finishes as a team of late, typically behind a deep Montrose team, with Grand Junction and Grand Junction Central tying for the top spot in DHSs last outing at Tiara Rado in Grand Junction.
Id just like to see them get comfortable where theyve been playing. Most players have shot in the 90s or better every round, Rawles said. Rawles is pleased with the improvement the top five Durango players have made in the course of the year, saying he thinks theyve improved by about eight-to-10 shots each in the last year as far as their stroke averages are concerned. Those improvments have led to a certain level of optimism as far as potential state qualifiers go, too. Montroses depth should make them hard to unseat for the team slot, but Rawles said he thinks the Demons have a chance to qualify multiple golfers for the state tournament later this season.
When we have a full varsity team now, we have a lot of second-place finishes, whish is really good for the Western Slope, and I think we have four of the top 15 golfers in the Western Slope, which gives us a chance to get them to qualify as individuals, Rawles said.
Joining the Durango Demons at Hillcrest Golf Club today for the first leg of the Southwestern League Championships will be Grand Junction, Grand Junction Central, Montrose, Rifle, Dolores, Palisade and Gunnison.
The second and final round of the event will take place at 9 a.m. Tuesday at Conquistador Golf Course in Cortez.
The Hillcrest Invitational will begin at 10:56 a.m., moved back from 10 a.m. to accommodate team travel.
rowens@durangoherald.com
