×
×
homepage logo

A change coming to Class B golf?

By Staff | Jun 16, 2010

Rugby boys golf coach Gary Myhre has been a long-time supporter of switching the high school sport from the spring to the fall.

Myhre, and many other golfers who share those sentiments, may just get their wish. The North Dakota High School Activities Association (NDHSAA) board of directors is expected to act on a proposal this week to change the Class B boys and girls golf seasons. It’s one of the issues on the agenda during the board’s meetings in Valley City on June 21-22.

Coaches have debated among themselves over the years the pros and cons of switching seasons, but Myhre believes this is the first time the proposal has reached the NDHSAA board for consideration.

There are many positives to holding golf in the fall high school sports season rather than the spring, Myhre sees, and perhaps the biggest is enabling golfers to compete on courses that are in tip-top shape.

“Right now golfers have to play courses in the spring that are not in great condition, have winter kill spots on greens,’ he said. “Plus weather is a factor. It’s not a good situation.”

Other positives of switching to the fall is it enables golfers to play during the summer to sharpen their game before the season. The weather conditions are much warmer and often courses have more flexible schedules in late August and September to enable meets to be held.

Participants would also be able to play several meets in August before school starts, thus limiting the amount of class time missed.

The Class A girls golf season already is in the fall and Myhre said, if the Class B seasons are moved, it would likely mirror the Class A girls schedule. “(The season) It would probably run from early August through the first part of October,’ he said.

Weather, does sometimes, become a factor in late September and early October, but not to the degree of the spring golf season.

Toni Stevenson, Rugby’s girls coach, also favors a change, noting many of the points that Myhre listed. The change would also produce better scores as golfers would have plenty of rounds under their belt. And it would serve as an incentive for golfers to practice, knowing they would need to come into the season posting good scores to crack the varsity lineup.

One foreseeable drawback to moving the season is the potential loss of participants to football, volleyball and cross country.

However, Myhre said in Rugby’s case, it’s likely schedules could be worked around to enable athletes to play more than one sport.

If the NDHSAA board votes to change the season, it would not go into effect until the 2011-12 school year, Myhre said.