This season, nine students will be swinging their clubs on the green and Coach Bobby Olmsted couldn’t be happier.

Olmsted has been coaching for 11 years, but this is the first time that he has held tryouts. His requirements for ideal players? Ability is not as important as commitment, he said.

“I wanted them to be committed to learning the game of golf,” Olmsted said. “There are a great bunch of guys and gals. The group of freshman boys are going to make a strong next four years.”

In the golf team’s first match against Friday Harbor, freshman William Coe tied for the lowest score of 44.

Olmsted said their chances for going to state are high.

Last year, Julia Bailey qualified for state as a first alternate and is playing for the team again this year.

But going to state isn’t as important to Olmsted as getting the kids started on the sport.

“Golf is a life-long sport you can play into your 70s and 80s,” said Olmsted.

The team has had three weeks of practice and Olmsted has already seen improvement.

He said there isn’t another team they re looking to beat as much as a course to beat, and the hardest course is the Gallery at Oak Harbor simply due to the pressure of it being the district qualifying game.

But Olmsted has a secret weapon to help the kids prepare for such a game – the word cheeseburger.

Once he says that word the kids loose their focus and start laughing.

“I work hard to get them to focus,” said Olmsted. “Golf is like life you make a decision, which club to use and then you take  a shot. If it’s a bad shot you can’t worry, you have to keep moving and make another decision.”

The golf team will be hosting the first annual Coach’s Team Challenge – a fundraiser for the Booster Club Golf Fund on April 28 at the Orcas Golf Course, time is TBA.