Getting down to business Getting down to business (April 22, 2005)

High school golfers toil under the radar

By Scott Campbell

Amidst the picturesque backdrop of the Los Altos Golf and Country Club on April 18, St. Francis and Mountain View golfers honed their craft in almost complete obscurity. And pardon them if they don't mind that you're missing out.

"We definitely don't get the same amount of attention as most other sports, but ... we don't really care," said Lancers senior Clay Wayman. "I think we just really enjoy the sport of golf."

With the City of Mountain View allowing the local high school teams to play at Shoreline Golf Links and the Los Altos Golf and Country Club opening up its fairways, these athletes are fortunate to spend many a sun-splashed afternoon pondering such difficult choices as club selection on a 318-yard par-4.

Not that they don't take their sport seriously.

"Golf used to be a pretty casual game at the high school level," said St. Francis coach Dave Ferriera. "It's not that way anymore. It's very serious and (the players are) very competitive and they're very excited about being a part of it."

On this particular Monday afternoon, St. Francis took another step towards a Central Coast Section bid with a 205-207 victory over St. Ignatius.

If they maintain their current third-place standing in the West Catholic Athletic League, the Lancers have a good chance at receiving an at-large bid in the CCS tournament. Trailing second-place Bellarmine by one game in the win column, St. Francis (7-3-1) would receive an automatic bid if it finishes among the top two teams in its league.

Monday, the Lancers were missing four of their regulars, including Joe Bramlett and Chris Jensen, who rank first and fourth in the WCAL with scoring averages of 35.4 and 35.9, respectively.

Nevertheless, St. Francis defeated the Wildcats thanks to a gutsy performance led by senior Matt Nehrenz's 38 on the par-35 front nine.

With the best five of six golfers' individual scores accounting for the team's cumulative score, golfers know their teammates depend on them.

"It is an individual sport, (but) when you're on the team, all that matters is that the team wins," said St. Francis junior Matt Westrick. "You have to shoot well for the team, not for yourself."

Four Lancers posted rounds of no worse than 41, each scoring par or better on five holes.

"It's so individual and so team at the same time," said Wayman, who shot 5-over par. "A golf team cannot be carried by its number-one player."

Most golfers enjoy the game so much that they dedicate their extracurricular activities to success on the links.

"Before, kids would go out and play baseball, basketball and pick up a stick every once in a while and hit a golf ball," said Mountain View coach Steve Miyano, whose team geared up for the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League playoffs with a practice match against South San Francisco on the back nine. "Nowadays, kids focus on golf, and that's what they want to work on."

Ferriera agreed, saying "You have to be willing to put in a lot of time. Out of my 10-man roster, there's one (golfer) who played another varsity sport."

Unlike other varsity sports, golf practice is largely performed on an individual basis. While a player's coach and teammates offer encouragement, the onus falls on the individual to improve on his own time.

"If I want to get up there (into Mountain View's playing rotation), I have to play every single day," said Spartans sophomore Brian Hou. "Get home, practice up to three hours, maybe get on the course."

In addition to starting at a very young age, many golfers employ a private coach to fine-tune their game.

The dedication of the young Spartans, whose top six consists of three freshmen, two sophomores and one junior, has already resulted in a perfect 12-0 record and a De Anza Division title. Mountain View hopes to continue its stellar season as the SCVAL playoffs begin at Eagle Ridge Golf Club in Gilroy on May 2.

Because the Spartans have yet to play at Eagle Ridge this year, their postseason hopes depend on their ability to adapt to the new surroundings quickly.

"Every single course is different, different features, and it's tough to just go out without seeing a course and shoot well," said Mountain View freshman Matt Wallach.

One of the unique challenges golfers face is never having the benefit of hosting their competitors in a 'home' setting. Despite playing regularly at Shoreline and Los Altos, these teams know that playing the same course twice can yield wildly different results depending on weather conditions or the accuracy of one's drive.

And while they do get to play for free at some of the best courses in the region -from Pasa Tiempo and Seascape to San Juan Oaks and Lake Merced - golfers rarely receive perhaps the most tangible benefit of the home-field advantage.

"We don't really get anyone out here watching us," said St. Francis senior Ben Landen. "For other sports you have spectators ... and that's a big part of the home advantage."

But, on the whole, golfers understand that these quirks are what make their game unique. You would be hard-pressed to find a complainer among them.

As he prepared for an approach shot that eventually helped him save par on the final hole and secure the win for his team, Lancers senior Alberto Lata mused on the enviable position he and his teammates are in.

"These are some of the top courses in California and we're very fortunate to be out here," said Lata.
E-mail Scott Campbell at sports@mv-voice.com

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