Bridget Marshall and Laken Waskom have played golf together since they could first pick up clubs.
The incoming Seymour High School seniors first met at a golf camp at Hickory Hills Golf Club in Brownstown before attending Cortland Elementary School as kindergartners.
More than a decade later, the two will take to the links for one final season together.
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Last year, Marshall and Waskom consistently acted as the Owls’ one-two punch.
In 2018, the Owls finished runners-up in the sectional at Bedford’s Otis Park and tied for sixth at the regional hosted by Country Oaks in Montgomery. The Owls were third at the Hoosier Hills Conference Tournament.
Marshall finished tied for second at the HHC, and Waskom was HHC honorable mention. The team shot a season-best 350 at that tournament.
Marshall, The Tribune’s 2018 Golfer of the Year, averaged 41 strokes on nine holes and 82 for 18 while collecting three medalist finishes. Waskom had averages of 44 and 90 and had two medalist finishes.
This summer, both girls played in tournaments as part of the Indiana Golf Association’s junior tour.
Marshall shot an 83 to place first in the girls 16-19 division in a tournament July 19 at Wooded View Golf Course in Clarksville, while Waskom shot an 84 to win the girls 16-19 division in a tournament that same day at West Lafayette Golf and Country Club.
“My accuracy really improved,” Marshall said. “In the beginning of the summer, I had a really bad problem with my aim. I was able to get it back into tune, and it helped my score.”
Marshall said she played in six or seven tournaments this summer, which also included a win at Sunrise Golf Course in Madison, while Waskom said she competed in three.
“My game is in a pretty good spot right now,” Waskom said. “I do need to improve on my putting. I would say that I have been hitting the ball straighter. My drives are better.”
The Owls will have five seniors this year, including returning regular varsity starter Rylee Knutson.
Owls second-year coach Jim Hoffman said he expects to have 10 or 11 kids on his team this year and that his incoming freshman class could make an impact.
“It’s exciting having those two as our leaders,” he said. “They had a great summer of golf. They played a lot, which is outstanding. We basically get two days of practice in (Friday and today) before we play our first tournament (Monday). A lot of the other girls have been out here, too, and we have a young base behind them. We’re going to have five seniors, which is exciting. We also have some freshmen coming in that will help us right away.”
Both Marshall and Waskom said they want to help the underclassmen this season.
“I want us to be like a family,” Marshall said. “We will all see each other a lot over the next two months even though it’s a short season. I just want to have fun. I want to get to know all of the girls on the team.”
Marshall and Waskom already have some attention on them before the 2019 competition starts Monday.
The seniors have been in contact with colleges this summer, and both said they are interested in continuing their careers, maybe even together.
The Owls haven’t sent a girls golfer to the college ranks since Paxton DeHaven went to the University of Indianapolis as a freshman in 2014.
Hoffman said multiple college coaches have been in contact with him this summer and that Marshall and Waskom are outstanding student-athletes that will help the program grow.
“I don’t have to say anything to them about leadership,” Hoffman said. “They carry themselves with a maturity and confidence that is above others. That’s something I don’t have to worry about. The other girls see it, and it will carry over. The scoring is a secondary thing. The leadership and demeanor will be the big thing. They will have the scores. I am really excited about the year.”
The Owls will play in a tournament at Bloomington Country Club on Monday.