Better turnout than expected for Ten Sleep's first-ever golf team

The Ten Sleep High School golf team had a surprise turnout. Nine golfers are out this season to represent the Pioneers in the program's first season.

"I was a little bit surprised about that happening. Having full teams for both boys and girls, I wasn't expecting that, but I'm excited," said TSHS golf coach Robert Griffin.

For the 2023 season at the 2A golf level (There is no 1A classification for golf), the Pioneers have five golfers with Christopher Blutt, Mathew Blutt, Ian Dykstra, Kruze Forshee and Eli Fox.

Rounding out the Lady Pioneers team are Izzy Fox, Brooklyn Norman, Allie Griffin and Kelsie Griffin.

As most team members are new to golf, this first season for Ten Sleep is about setting that foundation for each golfer.

"We've got a few goals. The first is to grow as young men and young women. Golf's challenges are like life's challenges; some days are easier than others, and other times, you'll have to work to overcome them. The second is to learn and apricate the game. To understand the positive sides of golf, the mental side and personal accountability.

"We have some who have played some golf in the past. We've got a lot of new golfers. We're looking at how much we can improve in six weeks. How much do we grow in that time frame by how many strokes we shoot less and how our game improved over time," said Griffin.

Having so many newcomers, the short game is the primary focus for the Ten Sleep golfers. Once they develop that skill set, they'll work their way back toward the tee box.

"One of the big things is specifically targeting the short game and trying to work our way from the hole back to improve. There will be a lot of attention paid to putting and chipping," said Griffin.

Even though they are Ten Sleep's first golf team, that aspect hasn't settled in yet for the team. Right now, they are more worried about getting ready for their first tournaments.

"We'll get to that toward the end of the season. We'll review what we've accomplished at the end of the season; it seems more organic at that point. It's all so new that it's hard to focus on that right now. But it's something we'll talk about at the end of the season.

"The one thing that I will say about our kids is that they're really good kids. All of the golfers who are out they're going to give their best every day. They're not out there just to be out there, or they don't care because it's something to do. They're out there, and they're working hard to pick up the game," said Griffin.

As the program's first head coach, Griffin wants to take his passion for the game and show his golfers that if they put in the work they will have the same love of the game and connect with a tight-knight community.

"Some of the other sports have a genetic selection, somewhat. If you're tall, basketball will be a natural fit. If you're fast and strong, football is the best fit. Golf, it doesn't matter. It matters what you put into the game. It's a home for every person. I love that individual piece and watching kids learn how to evaluate and grow based on the feedback from the sport. I love that it's outside.

"There's a lot of support and comradery in the sport of golf, and not just among your team," said Griffin. You're often paired with the same golfer each tournament, and you start to be a support network for each other. It's a really cool thing that happens."

The program's first tournaments are today and tomorrow. Today, they're in Sheridan, and Friday, they are in Newcastle.

The Newcastle course is also the site of the 2A State tournament, giving Ten Sleep a chance to get a feel for the course when state is held there on Sept. 15-16. Most 2A teams will also be in Newcastle, allowing the Pioneers and Lady Pioneers to see how they stack up against the competition.

Another goal for the Ten Sleep in this opening week is getting the basics down, whether that's playing or learning the ins and outs of tournament play.

"The Newcastle tournament will be an important day. Most teams will be there, and you'll get a good sense of how we set up. The kids will also see the course and understand what they need to do well at the end of the season.

"This will be the first tournament for most of the team. We'll be trying to fine-tune all the basics of tournament golf. We're trying to figure out all those basic steps, and that's what we'll be trying to do for the first month of the season. Then the last two weeks, we'll compete and be our best," said Griffin.