Throughout the fall season, the men's golf team struggled with its consistency from round to round. Many times, the Cardinals started a tournament strong, vying for the lead, but faltered on the second day of competition. This was the problem coach Mike Fleck focused on during the off-season.
In four of the team's five matches in the fall, it scored higher in the second day of its two-day tournaments. It averaged 288 strokes as a team on the first day and over 304 on the second. To correct the problem, Fleck wanted to work on his team's physical and mental endurance.
"It was a hard problem to address (the poor finishes)," Fleck said. "We talked a lot this off-season about our mental approach to the game. We need to continue to come out of the gate strong and put ourselves in the position to win, but we need to finish strong."
Fleck said that the team's biggest improvement from fall to spring is its mental approach to golf. He worked hard in the winter to focus the players on winning and playing a complete game.
"Our word for the off-season was 'optimism,'" Fleck said. "We're very optimistic of our chances of being successful this season, leading up to a MAC championship. The potential and the opportunity are there to do it."
The team's first opportunities to display its optimism and focus comes over Spring Break, when the Cardinals have two 54-hole, two-day tournaments in Florida.
The Big Red Classic will be held the first weekend of Spring Break in Ocala, Fla., March 9-10. Ball State will co-host the Classic with Indiana University. Fleck said the goal of the tournament is to invite schools from the Midwest who are also on break. Most teams will be from the same district as Ball State, including several MAC and Big Ten schools.
The El Diablo Intercollegiate is held in Citrus Springs, Fla. March 16-17, the second weekend of Spring Break. Marshall will host the second tournament, so many of the same teams will attend.
"As a team, our attitude is that we won't be happy unless we win these tournaments," sophomore Justin Cross said. "If we go in with high expectations, we're probably going to do pretty well."
Senior team co-captain Nathan Vannatter agreed with Fleck and Cross that the team was focused on winning the tournaments. He also said that the team's improved focus should help the team finish better in spring competitions.
"This weekend is our first chance to get out and play," Vannatter said. "We have a good opportunity to go out and win both and make a statement."
The team's ultimate goal this season is a MAC championship. The team thinks its hard work in the winter will make that goal a reality in the spring.
"We have to be consistent through the spring," Fleck said. "You're only as good as what you've done the day before. We've put in a lot of hard work and quality time. Hopefully it will turn into success."
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