Golf team makes huge strides: Team of 10 battles Hampton Bays in finale

The 2020 golf season is over for the Shelter Island School team.

It was fast, but it was terrific. We accomplished our main goals, and even though we had to run the season in early spring instead of the fall, we got it done.

Golf is a lifetime sport, and it would have been a shame not have our youngsters get an organized start on this great outdoor activity.

I originally thought we wouldn’t have enough players to form a team. Was I wrong. We ended up with 10 players in the program, most playing varsity golf in their first year playing golf at all. The progress from beginning to end was amazing, but more importantly, we made golfers.

The first few matches were tough for these young players, but they hung in there and finished the season strong. Their final match was April 14 against Hampton Bays and we lost by a single point with a score of 5 to 4.

Bradley Batten, in his second year playing golf, played Number 1 against Hampton Bays’ Number 1 and took home the honors. Harrison Weslek, an 8th grader who usually played Number 1, but played Number 2 in this final match, had a tough day and lost to their Number 2.

Baz Quigley/Dunning was a regular in the Number 3 all year and tied his match. Baz also posted the lowest score of the day.

Phoenix Bliss, in his first year playing, went against the Number 4 for Hampton Bays and they ended all even. Elijah Davidson, who has played for four years, was a winner in the Number 5 position.

Nicholas Marsh, in his first year playing and his first official match that counted, played in the 6th position and won that spot. He was also a previous winner on two matches in exhibition.

Harrison Holmes and James Durran played exhibition and lost, but only by a couple of shots. In fact, Harrison lost by one shot. The last remaining two players were Matthew Strauss and Kaitlyn Gulluscio. Matthew was away and Kaitlyn was quarantined and out of the match.

Now, the season is finished for everyone, but Bradley and Harrison, the two players who played the 1 or 2 all season. They are invited to play in the Suffolk County tournament at Smithtown Landing on Monday and Tuesday, April 26 and 27. Good luck, guys.

It was truly a great way to end the season. A happy coach felt we more than accomplished the goals set out in the beginning of the season. I had a ball working with all of you.