Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — It’s amazing what a week of practice can do.

After spending the first week of high school golf just qualifying before the first tournament, the Steamboat Springs High School team parlayed a week of practice into a second-place finish Tuesday at the Vail Golf Club.

The team improved by four shots over its first tournament of the year, coming in Tuesday with a 236, nine shots back of winner Aspen.

Consider that none of Steamboat’s five players had seen or played at the Vail Golf Club and it seems the long process of putting together a successful golf season is gaining steam.

“It was a great job,” Steam­boat assistant coach Tom Taylor said. “They did a wonderful job. I’m glad how they stroked the ball on a course they haven’t played.”

Jack Lupori paced the Sailors with a 78. Alan Capistron and Patrick Weston each shot 79, Skyler Martin shot 84, and Isiah Forsyth shot 85. Taylor said the better scores came from a week of pure practice, where the focus was on ball striking.

Coaches taped each player’s swing during the week and diagnosed swings.

“We finally just had some isolated practices,” Taylor said. “We worked hard with them this week. It was not as much play as practicing.”

Of the 16 teams at Tuesday’s tournament, about half were in Steam­boat’s region. Aspen plays in a different classification, but Western Slope foe Battle Moun­tain — winner of the first tournament — was there, as were a slew of other teams.

Regional stalwarts Durango, Cortez and Montrose, however, were absent.

Taylor said the only down part of Tuesday was that the team collectively struggled with the undulating greens. He said that’s not a huge concern, as the team hasn’t focused on the short game yet. He said that would be the focal point of upcoming practices.

“We’re going to wear them out with the putters,” Taylor said. “We’ve got enough focus on ball striking; the focus now is on the short game and tightening that up.”

Steamboat resumes play Thurs­day at Gypsum Creek in Eagle Valley.

To reach Luke Graham, call 871-4229 or e-mail lgraham@steamboatpilot.com