For The Tribune
COLUMBUS
As golfers made the turn on Saturday during the Hoosier Hills Conference Boys Golf Tournament at Otter Creek Golf Course, Seymour coach Jim Hoffman knew his inexperienced players were going to be learning some important lessons.
A steady, light rain turned to a downpour as the teams were finishing their front nine play, and many of the golfers were dealing well with being soaked.
[sc:text-divider text-divider-title=”Story continues below gallery” ]
“I just told them that we had to be mentally tough,” Hoffman said. “We had to focus on being into it. The conditions were not good.”
Although Seymour, which finished at 345, slipped to seventh-place overall in a tournament won by Columbus East at 317, Hoffman said he picked up some very positive signs from his players.
After his pep talk as they turned to the back nine, the Owls responded.
“We had it going for the first four or five holes on the back nine,” he said. “Keaton Simpson birdied No. 11 and then Tyler Bullard birdied No. 12. Then Brady Marshall birdied No. 12.”
While Marshall, who shot 80, Simpson, who finished at 81 and Bullard carded an 84, Seymour’s No. 4 golfer, Ethan Ashley, shot 100 and Brady Rinehart finished at 102.
But Hoffman noted that his top three golfers have played a lot of tournament golf while the rest of his lineup is gained experience every time out.
“It got to be grueling,” Hoffman said of the wet conditions. “But I can say that we have seen a lot of improvement both as a team and as individuals.
“This was just good to learn that you have to take the conditions as they are. Everyone else in playing the same conditions. I think this could benefit us in the future, make us mentally tougher.”
Simpson and Bullard are only freshmen so the Owls have a bright future.
How was it for Bullard?
“Wet,” he said as he tried to read a soaked scorecard that was coming apart. “It was very difficult to keep things together. You just did the best you could.”
Simpson said he just tried to stay mentally focused.
“Club selection was tough,” he said. “And putting was tough because the greens were so wet. But everybody was dealing with the same thing.”
Did Simpson feel he played well considering the conditions?
“It was terrible,” he said of his round. “I should be shooting about 75. But I learn what I am doing wrong, and I get past it.”
Marshall is a junior and he didn’t let the rain affect him.
“I didn’t have any problems until it stopped raining,” he said. “I didn’t really have any issues with it.”
He said he had the opportunity to shoot a solid number, and let it get away.
“I just didn’t hit the shot I needed to,” he said.
After East, Madison was second at 322 and Floyd Central was third at 331.
New Albany’s Addison Greenwell won the medalist honors with a 75 while Madison’s Mitchell Seng and East’s Austin Proffitt tied for second at 76. Marshall tied for seventh with his 80.
[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”By the numbers” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
Hoosier Hills Conference Golf Tournament
Otter Creek Golf Course
Team standings
1. Columbus East 317
2. Madison 322
3t. Floyd Central 331
3t. New Albany 331
5. Bedford North Lawrence 333
6. Jennings County 344
7. Seymour 345
8. Jeffersonville 370
Individual standings
1. Addison Greenwell, New Albany, 75
2t. Austin Proffitt, Columbus East, 76
2t. Mitchell Seng, Madison, 76
4. Adam Krebs, Columbus East, 77
5t. Caleb Thorne, Bedford North Lawrence, 79
5t. Dylan Bilz, Madison, 79
7t. Brady Marshall, Seymour, 80
7t. Ian Donnell, Jennings County, 80
7t. Billy Sleight, Floyd Central, 80
7t. Kunal Bhanushli, New Albany, 80
[sc:pullout-text-end]