The men’s golf team closed its season on April 17 with a third-place finish in the DAC-VII conference tournament played at Hillandale Golf Course. After qualifying with a total score of 81 points and with 11 pars on April 25, senior David Rinehart made an individual run in the regional tournament at Pinehurst Golf Course.
Every golfer improved his game by at least five strokes over the course of the season, and each of the team’s three seniors had career-best rounds in the final match.
Rinehart acknowledged that he felt anxious on the day he secured the last spot at the regional tournament.
“It got nerve-racking. I just had to keep on doing what I’d been doing,” Rinehart said.
The only golfer on the team to have qualified for the regional tournament, Rinehart said that he owes much of his individual achievement to his teammates’ commitment to the sport.
“It was really great to see everyone grow individually and as a team,” Rinehart said. “I’m proud of the work we put in, and I wouldn’t have wanted to do it with any other group of guys.”
Senior Seth Fried remarked that the team, which initially struggled to finish fourth in matches, eventually gained the confidence and skill necessary to compete against opponents.
After winning matches against Hillside High School and Northern Durham High School on March 6 and April 17, the team beat Jordan High School, Southern Alamance High School, Hillside High School and Northern Durham High School in a tournament on April 25.
“Overall, our season was a huge success. I’m extremely proud of everyone on this team—especially the young guys who stepped up to give this program a solid future,” Fried said.
Head Coach Dock Ragland expressed his commitment to expanding the accessibility of golf at Chapel Hill High School.
“I would like to introduce the game to anyone who doesn’t necessarily have access. I am always looking for donated clubs that I can give to someone who doesn’t have any [so I can] teach them the game,” Ragland said.
Ragland emphasized the importance of developing individual plans for golfers to help them achieve their best, as he coaches “players of all different skill levels.”
“For [the] next season, I am excited about the growth of our current players and looking forward to what new additions we can add to the team,” he said.
Junior Alex Smollen expressed gratitude for the team and coaching staff’s support and the personal and athletic growth he experienced.
“This season had a lot of ups and downs, but I couldn’t have asked for a better team and coaching staff,” Smollen said. “We all improved and got better not only as golfers, but as people.”
Smollen went on to say that he is optimistic about the future, and he extended his well wishes to the seniors and assistant coach Spencer Devine as they exit the program.
“I am excited to see what next year brings, and [I] wish the seniors and Coach Devine the best of luck in the next chapter of their life,” Smollen said.
