By Max Rayman
The 2024 Girls’ Golf high school season is officially underway, and each team enters with different goals and expectations.
Apollo: The Apollo girls’ golf team enters the season with only one athlete on the roster, Maleah McBride. Although new to the sport, McBride and the coaching staff will focus on ensuring she learns the game to reach their goals of having her participate throughout the year and compete in the postseason.
“Maleah is new to the game and will spend much of the season learning the nuance of the game of golf,” Head Coach David Lyons said. “Although this is Maleah’s first year playing golf, I know she’s an athlete and anticipate she’ll pick up the game quickly.”
Daviess County: Daviess County is fresh off another excellent season, which saw them win the Region 2 title for the second straight year and advance past the first round of state competition. Hungrier for more, they have their eyes set on a third consecutive Region 2 title and a top 3 state finish.
This year, they have 11 athletes on the roster, including returning key contributors Claire Reynolds, Baylie Billingsley, Briley Billingsley, Alexa Salamah, and Macy Roberts. One newcomer to watch is 7th grader Kennedi Minton.
“Our girls have put a lot into this sport and have improved physically and mentally,” Head Coach Jonas Billingsley said. “They are ready for another great season!”
Owensboro: The Owensboro girls’ golf team entered the season with massive shoes to fill. Ellie Watson, the anchor for the last few years, graduated and will be tough to replace. Head coach Bryan Casey said she was a vocal leader and was responsible for modeling and mentoring the young roster.
Freshman and third-year Ryann Kasey is the only returner with invitational and post-season experience. Fellow Freshman Kinsley Hayden is the only other athlete on the roster with two years of experience under her belt. Two other up-and-comers to keep an eye on are freshman Olive Harrison and 8th grader Hampton Gaddis, who are both entering their second year on the team.
Due to the young and somewhat inexperienced roster, Casey views this season as a molding year.
“The goal is to, by the end of the season, have 4 or 5 players with a well-rounded, broad knowledge of managing a round of golf or a 9-hole match,” Casey said. They must learn what is expected and how to navigate in a competitive golf format. We have players at all sorts of levels, and the goal is to get them all pointed in the right direction, with a long-term perspective for getting better bit by bit and, by the end of the season, have things in a good place to begin the next year.”
Owensboro Catholic: Owensboro Catholic returns Junior Hannah Robbins. She is fresh off an impressive summer in the Go Jr Golf Series, which saw her lower her average by over 10 strokes. She also shot a personal best of 79.
Returning alongside Robins are veteran leaders and seniors Marley Baize and Elizabeth Wright, known for their mental toughness. Also returning to the team after taking last year off is Sophomore Emma Lanham. According to her head coach, Jenny Burns, she has shown top-three potential.
Joining the varsity roster this year are 8th grader Catherine Ray, Junior Ava Settles, and newcomer Betsy Evans.
“Our goal this season is simply to continue to improve, mostly on their short game,” Burns said. “Growing up, my golf instructor preached to me that your short game is what wins tournaments. We are currently hitting the ball pretty well. As a team, if we can focus on 50 yards and in, we will eliminate quite a few strokes. After a heartbreaking finish last year, I would love to see a few of my girls qualify for state! If they are willing to work outside of team practices, we could have a couple that will qualify.”
Trinity: Trinity High School girls’ golf enters the season with a new program that includes athletes Olivia Ward and Rylie Hayden.
“All of the players are new to the team, and we’re excited to watch them grow,” Head Coach Magan Hayden said. “Most importantly, we want to have fun and learn new skills on and off the course.”
This marks the first year the school has ever fielded a girls’ golf team, and Hayden is excited to be at the helm.
