When it comes to the Ohio State men’s golf team readying themselves for post-season play, previous experience has proven that preparation isn’t everything.
The NCAA selection committee announced May 7 that the team has earned a spot in this year’s NCAA Men’s Golf Regional held in Ann Arbor, Mich.
The Buckeyes are coming off a disappointing ninth-place finish at the Big Ten Championship in Indiana, but coach Donnie Darr said the scores posted were no indication of how his team played.
“We really weren’t that far off from playing well,” Darr said. “You can’t just walk away and say we played terrible because we actually played really well, we just didn’t finish our rounds off.”
Darr said it is important to maintain similar preparation, but the team must limit their mistakes.
“I think we prepare the right way every week,” Darr said. “Our guys work hard and play hard, but we just have to stay away from a big number.”
And although this year’s selection to the regional tournament marks the second straight under Darr, none of his players have ever played on the University of Michigan Golf Course.
“It’s the same design as our course,” Darr said. “But there are significant differences.”
Players said they are expecting shorter yardages into the green, thicker rough and narrow openings throughout the course.
And Big Ten Freshman of the Year Grant Weaver said he welcomes the challenge.
“It’s just about learning from your mistakes,” he said. “You have to pick out what you did good and what you did bad and improve. We’re just trying to put everything together.”
Weaver said the team has tackled those mistakes by playing at various local golf courses that will resemble the course in Michigan.
And the Buckeyes hope to follow the lead of seniors Alex Redfield and Dan Charen, who could be hitting the links for the last time as collegiate players.
But Redfield said he isn’t worried about that.
“All I’m worried about is our team finishing in the top five,” he said. “That’s my only concern.”
The team will need a top-five finish to advance to the next round of competition.
Redfield said he is confident the team has the skills to advance to the national competition and he is excited to make one more run as a collegiate player.
“I think we’re going to play well and advance,” he said. “And even if it is my last tournament, I’ve had a great career and I get to go out there and compete with my team and my friends, and I couldn’t ask for anything better.”
The Buckeyes advanced out of the regional tournament in San Diego last year, reaching the match play round before falling to top-ranked and host Oklahoma State.
OSU is set to compete against 12 other teams in the tournament May 17-19. Purdue is the only other Big Ten school competing in the Buckeyes’ region.