By Tyler Allen Explore Big Sky Associate Editor
The Lone Peak High School golf teams hope to ride the momentum of a strong season into the state championships May 21-22 at Double Arrow Golf Course in Seeley Lake. The tournament is a chance for the boys to defend last year’s Class C title, and an opportunity for the girls to make a splash on the big stage.
Aside from a second-place finish at the Loyola Sacred Heart Invitational, the boys have won every official event at which they’ve had a full squad in 2014. Tate Tatom continued his torrid pace with individual victories at Ennis on May 3 and the Three Forks Invitational on May 8.
The LPHS girls notched a fourth-place finish at Three Forks, and head coach Mike King thinks they’re playing well enough to be in the top flight at states.
On Monday, May 12 the teams had a chance to scout Double Arrow after a scheduled event was cancelled there May 6. Having been hammered by heavy winter and spring snow, it’s playing a lot like the links in Big Sky, according to King.
“The conditions of the course are really similar to the [Big Sky] course now,” he said. “It won’t be a big adjustment from what we’re practicing on this week.”
The Double Arrow course is relatively short by men’s standards, King said, but also very tight with large pines throughout. The Big Horns have been practicing back home with their shorter irons from 150 yards and closer.
“It’s a shot-makers golf course,” King said. “[We’ll] need to be really smart and patient, it should be an interesting test for our team.”
