Hawthorne High School head golf coach Jeffrey Kolk is hoping that some of his senior hitters can help bring around his younger golfers and finish even on the season.
The Bears were 7-8 as of last week heading into a tough week.
Coming into this season they had graduated their top player in Brian McGuigan, but did have a couple of golfers returning.
“Our goal is really to get to .500,” said Kolk. “I’m looking for our seniors to guide the younger kids.”
Senior Greg Fales is the number one golfer this season. His best score is 44 and he averages 50.
“He’s a four-year varsity golfer and when he was a freshman he was shooting in the upper 50s to mid-60s,” said Kolk.
Fales is a strong hitter from the tee.
“I think the best part of his golfing is off the tee,” said Kolk. “He keeps the ball in play. He needs to work with his driver.”
After Fales there is senior Kevin Branagh whose best nine-hole score is 48 while averaging a 52. Branagh can make the most of the tough lies.
“He’s a grinder,” said Kolk about Branagh. “He can hit over the trees and between the trees. He has a unique swing like Jim Furyk.”
The final three of the top five are junior Nick Miller who averages a 53 and shot a best 46 along with senior lefty swinger Tyler Conlon (averaging 55) and junior Joe D’Ascoli.
D’Ascoli might be one of the top up-and-coming golfers the rest of the way. He scored a 52 in the loss to one of the best teams in the North Jersey Interscholastic Conference in Glen Rock on Friday.
“He struggled big at the beginning of the season, but he has been working hard,” said Kolk. “I’m going to rely on Joe next season.”
While the Bears have picked up several wins, Kolk points to a loss as the best played match so far, as Hawthorne just missed upsetting Lakeland.
“That was one of our better matches and we shot our best for the season, 199, in nine holes,” said Kolk.
