All focus lies on Merrick Seekins as he lines up the drive. Silence overwhelms the field and the air is thick. The sophomore can feel the pressure but he ignores it. The only thing he thinks of is the golf ball and where he wants it to go. He swings his golf club behind his body. When it comes back down it slams against the ball.

Seekins and the golf team practice for their first tournament of the school year on October 15 and 16. At 2:15 pm every school day they practice at Southern Oaks Golf Course.

“We’re all hard workers and we’re all in this to get better.” Seekins said. “Everybody is supportive of each other.”

In the tournament, the golf team plays games amongst themselves, and their overall score gets compared to other schools’.

“The golf course is my toughest opponent.” Seekins said.

Even though golf is played as a solitary sport, the players know their individual scores will count for the team

“I like playing on a team because it is fun when you are doing well, and you get to hang out with your friends,” junior, Clayton Chenault said. “But I also like to play by myself because it’s relaxing and a way to get away.”

Seekins and Chenault both agree that fall offers the best conditions to play golf with respect to the weather and work ethic.

“People don’t understand the difficulty of it [golf],” Seekins said. “I think the strengths of the team are our depth this year. We also have a really strong bond.”