The members of the men’s golf team, who recently placed 10th at San Antonio shoot-out, will play at the Rattler Classic tournament on March 14-15 in San Antonio.

“We got off to a really good start last semester, and again at the beginning of this year,” Clayton Meyers, undecided freshman, said.

Derek Oland, student assistant golf coach and senior in general business, said, “The team has really improved since the beginning of the season. We are somewhat of a young team, so the tournaments in the fall definitely helped us gain some experience and helped us understand what it takes to win.”

The tournament in San Antonio is a two-day event that has a series of three 18-hole games with players playing 36 holes the first day.

Luke Thomas, junior in marketing, said, “It will take us eight or nine hours with no break. It’s nine hours of walking and swinging, walking and swinging, and waiting for the other to hit.”

Thomas said  they do not have a lunch break. The golfers get handed a bagged lunch as they grab a new score card for the next 18 holes and eat between swings.

The golf team members work out to stay in shape for long tournaments. The players meet at 6:30 a.m. to work out core, abs, and cardio. The team also lifts weights to prepare them for carrying their bag and hitting harder.

“People ask, ‘Why do you lift weights?’ and there’s two ways for it. One is to stay in shape just in general and two is when you lift and do all these workouts, it can help you hit the ball farther,” Thomas said.

Working out is only part of practice. The team also goes to the Wichita Falls country club to practice on the course and Weeks Park at least once a week. The team practices at least five to six times a week. Practice involves short game, hours on the range, and playing the course.

Golfers play in high school to get recruited by a coach in college.

“To get to play college golf, you get recruited by the coach. When you’re in high school you send your shots of the tournaments you choose, then if the coach like it, he recruits you,” Thomas said.

Oland moved from a player to an assistant coach this year.

“Coaching the guys is a little different to say the least. I miss playing for team MSU more than I can express, but being around the guys and trying to help them be the best golfer and person they can, that’s where it’s pretty cool,” Oland said.