Prep girls golf: Regis/Altoona aiming to learn from tough competition
Aug. 24—In 2021 the Regis/Altoona girls golf team came close to sending a couple individuals to the state golf meet. Coach Chris Anderson speculated the team would've made it to state if they had been in any other sectional except playing against Prescott and St. Croix Central.
Regis/Altoona took third in Division 2 sectionals last season, finishing behind state qualifiers Prescott and St. Croix Central.
Anderson retained a trio players from that team: Lydia Jensen, Elli Anderson and Karalyn Skinner. Anderson indicated he is rotating through the trio for his No. 1 player so far in 2022, and is trying to get some experience for younger players to fill in those spots four through six.
"They were all strong golfers last year," Anderson said. "They're kind of my core. I think those three could shoot low any day. Then I rotate in fours and fives, to get good experience for the younger girls. It's kind of looking for those who are kind of getting there. It's nice that we're playing."
The team will learn while playing some tough competition. They'll routinely take the course with Prescott — the defending state champion in Division 2 — as part of a conference change.
"We went to the Middle Border Conference this year, which is a big change for us first doing that," Anderson Said. "We'll play against Prescott every week. That kind of competition will help us a little bit."
Anderson and his team got a good look at what Prescott can do this year Tuesday at the 2022 Old Abe Invitational held at the Mill Run golf course. The Cardinals walked away from the meet with a first-place trophy after carding a 329. The top individual for the day was Prescott's Ava Salay who scored 69 on the 71-par course. She is the defending individual state champion.
Skinner finish fourth individual with her 85, and Jensen carded 90 to take 12th. Elli Anderson tied with Madasynn Rundquist for 15th/16th with 94 strokes. The highest finisher for host school Eau Claire Memorial was Isabelle Campbell with 87 strokes, good for a tie for eighth.
New Richmond took second at the invite, Hudson was third and Regis/Altoona finished fourth. Chippewa Falls was sixth, Menomonie was seventh, and Bloomer and Eau Claire Memorial tied for ninth. Eau Claire North took 10th.
Anderson said the level of competition in the area has, "Let my three play their games and gain confidence for momentum at the end of the season and then getting others some experience and finding their rules. We're all kind of steadily improving. The hope is to peak at the right time around the end of the season."
One of the game's more obscure rules was enforced at Mill Run Tuesday. The 90 degree rule is used to protect fairways during wet conditions. The rule states cart drivers can only enter the fairway at a 90 degree angle to the cart path. Anderson explained he understood the rule was being used due to the heavy dew on the course earlier in the morning, and to protect the marshy areas among the back nine.
Anderson said some of his younger players are athletes coming from sports like soccer, and he hopes to help them learn how to handle themselves in the game and on the course and that comes from, as he put it, "getting out there and playing the game — the experience."
