Standing proud, varsity senior athletes Rafael Escobar, Griffin Jacobs, Jakob Martin, and juniors Jackson Springer and Jack Morris pose with their newly earned medals. The varsity team finished third out of 14 teams on Sept. 25. “The team’s primary goal is to win the district championship,” head coach Cody Price said. “We’re confident that with our action plan in place, we can accomplish this mission. [For the next tournament], our preparation involves assessing our strengths and weaknesses, celebrating milestones and creating individual development plans.” Photo courtesy of Cody Price

It’s dead silent. The loudest sound happens to be a toad croaking in the nearest pond. There’s a sharp inhale heard followed by a “whoosh.” A ball gets sent flying into the air with speeds of up to 100 mph. It lands softly in the green, just barely a couple feet from the hole. A faint movement is seen in the distance, a shake of the fist, and after all that, everything is back to silence. 

The golf team recently got a new head coach, Cody Price, after the previous coach retired. Price has been playing golf competitively for around 20 years and has been coaching for seven. Price said he looks forward to strengthening the golf’s history as an alumni.

“I’m passionate about giving back to the school that helped shape me,” Price said. “The school’s strong golf tradition and supportive administration made it an easy choice [to coach here]. The culture at CPHS is truly special. The administration is incredibly supportive of the athletic programs, which has been a game-changer.”

Since there is no range for the team to practice at school, the team has to leave school after their 3rd or 7th period and make their way down to Twin Creeks Country Club. The golf booster club recently purchased golf simulators to allow the athletes to practice on campus as soon as they arrive.

“My favorite part [about coaching] is helping students discover their potential and spreading my knowledge of the game to the next generation of golfers,” Price said. “It’s incredibly rewarding to see them grow and succeed.”

A practice normally consists of warming up on the range, as well as practicing on putting and chipping. The varsity team will either play nine or 18 holes whereas the JV practice using three stations: putting green, short game and driving range. Senior Griffin Jacobs has played for all four years and has been on varsity for two of them, and has noticed changes.

“The last three years it’s been a lot different because it was either you practice or you go home,” Jacobs said. “This year with the new coach, he’s actually making us work out. He encourages us and works us to get better. He comes out and helps us on the course with course management and stuff like that.”

The varsity team opened their fall season on Sept. 25, finishing third out of 14 teams. Seniors Rafael Escobar, Griffin Jacobs and Jakob Martin all carded an 81 and junior Jackson Springer had a score of 77. Last season, the team placed third at districts, missing out on regionals, so this season they’re hoping to do better.

“The team’s primary goal is to win the district championship,” Price said. “We’re confident that with our action plan in place, we can accomplish this mission. [For the next tournament], our preparation involves assessing our strengths and weaknesses, celebrating milestones and creating individual development plans. This comprehensive approach helps us stay focused and motivated to achieve our goals.”

At the tournaments, the athletes get paired up with two to three others and walk all 18 holes together. Each school chooses four out of the five scores, adds them up and compares them with the others to see who wins.

“It’s challenging playing against really good guys, [but] it’s fun,” Jacobs said. “We’re just going to keep working and hope we get better for the next [tournament]. There’s a few guys from Rouse that I’ve become friends with, we’re pretty close, but it’s a lot of fun getting to meet a lot of people.”