High school golf in Minnesota is wildly unpredictable due to Minnesota’s cold climate and unpredictable weather. However, despite the weather, the Cannon Falls golf team has been working hard and practicing as they can. 

Cannon Quade, a senior on the Cannon Falls golf team this year, explained how the team practiced before they were able to get outside; he said that their coach, Doug Rechtzigel, has a state-of-the-art simulator that the team practiced on before it was possible to be outside. Along with the simulator, he has a small putting green that the team used as well. Quade expressed that the setup is not ideal but that it is helpful and effective for getting practice in before getting outside. Now, as the snow has disappeared and it is beginning to warm up, they have gotten outside and started having meets.

So far this season, the team has competed in three different meets and Quade said “…we have made huge progress. We returned the same top golfers from last year, which is promising for our upcoming results.” Upcoming meets for the team are on May 1st in Lake City, then on May 4th the team will compete in their first Hiawatha Valley League meet, and a two-day invitational on May 5th and 6th.

As Quade explained, being on the golf team, players are on the team but compete individually. Quade noted that part of the reason he likes golf so much is because he has to be mentally tough while on the course because he doesn’t have a team to back him up, but when the team is not on the course, they are more like a team. When out on the course there is no team to back him up, which makes it challenging, but he enjoys it. He also mentioned that his favorite club to hit with is his driver because it hits the farthest but it is also a good way to release frustration after a poor hole.

Now that golf is in full swing it is time for them to get out on the course in their upcoming meets.