Men's golf set to host Princeton Invitational

The men's golf team might consider trading its sand wedges for snorkels or perhaps enlisting some help from the water polo team as it prepares for this weekend's Princeton Invitational at Springdale Golf Course. With a few inches of snow blanketing the course and periodic showers predicted through Saturday, the 23 teams expected to play in the tournament will certainly be in for a less than desirable round.

The spring half of the Tiger's season has fallen short of expectations so far. Fresh off their third Ivy League title last April and an exceptional fall season where the men found themselves in the top five of all but one tournament, the spring has been inconsistent at best.

Princeton has no doubt seen the consequences of the bitterest winter in recent memory, unable to see the course let alone play on it. While January and February have at times provided practice time on Springdale, Dillon Gymnasium's putting mat and driving net served as the home of Princeton golf right up until spring break.

"I will make no excuses," coach Will Green said of recent performances. "We are simply not playing to our potential and no player has really stepped out ahead to lead the team."

If the Tigers have struggled in recent matches under adequate conditions, one is left to ponder what this weekend's match might bring. While talks were originally underway to move the Princeton Invitational to Virginia, a decision was made yesterday to push the tournament back a day from Friday in hopes that Saturday and Sunday will provide for playable rounds. Even with the postponement, coach Green admits, "Frankly, there is not much hope" for a full tournament this weekend.

Mental preparation

The Tigers are understandably disappointed with the present conditions but are preparing as much as possible to deal mentally with a course that will be unlike any they have seen this year. Greens will play horribly slow and finding drives in puddles in water will happen often. Traditional USGA rules will be modified to account for the situation allowing players to remove balls from water on and off the fairway, placing them in the closest dry location.

"With the course pretty much underwater, we are all disappointed," senior captain Nat Hoopes said. "And while practicing in the squash courts is obviously not as good as being outside, the game is going to be much less a physical game than a mental one — preparing to be really patient and learning to make your own expectations."

Green insists that there is little a coach can do to prepare a team for such conditions and that most of the Tigers are experienced enough to make the best of what they have.

"I reminded them to stay patient," Green said. "To expect bad breaks and bad swings while not letting external forces ruin their game."

The Tigers will have serious competition to contend with this weekend, facing perennial district favorites Penn State, Maryland and St. John's.

"Penn State will give us a run for our money, but if we can hold them off, we shouldn't have a problem," junior Chris Connolly said.

Despite the conditions, one must remember that all teams will be playing the same soggy course and thus face similar obstacles. Nevertheless, Princeton has had the advantage of using a new golf simulator recently installed in Dillon which uses lasers to calculate ball trajectory and distance while projecting an image onto a screen. Likewise, one cannot discount the advantage of playing at home — regardless of conditions.

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"With bad weather we should have an even greater advantage over the rest of the field," freshman Jason Gerken said. "Springdale looks easy on paper, but errant drives and missed greens can cause anyone trouble, and I think everyone on our team knows when to play it safe and spots not to hit it."

The women's team certainly is in a better situation this weekend as it heads to Harrisonburg, Va. for the James Madison University Invitational. With weather forecasts calling for sun and weekend temperatures in the mid-60s, the Tigers can focus on the game.

As the tournament will consist of a field of 18 teams, it should be great preparation for the Ivy Championships. Princeton plays 36 holes on Saturday and 18 on Sunday.

"Our entire season we have been working towards winning Ivy's and this weekend is our final opportunity to build our confidence," sophomore Avery Kiser said.

The Tigers will need to be consistent this weekend if they hope to win. While they have had much success in both the fall and the spring, their real shortcoming has been putting together two consistently low rounds.

In the tournament field will be Yale, which will mark Princeton's first time competing against the Elis this spring. The matchup will serve as a prelude for the Ivy Championship at the end of the month. Kiser, senior Megan Miliam, junior Esty Dwek, sophomore Taryn Haladay and senior captain Vanessa Redman will be traveling this weekend as coach Stein slowly decides who will be traveling in the varsity squad for Ivies.