As the golf season quickly approaches, coach Mitchell Egazarian will be entering his second season with the team. After qualifying for the state tournament last year, with a record of 6-9-1, the team is determined to make it back and perform well.

“My expectations for this year will be the same for every season, which will be to maximize our golfers’ abilities to be able to perform at our peak at the right time. As a coach, I will always set high standards and this year we will be working for conference and state titles. This will only be accomplished one shot at a time,” Egazarian said.

The team will be led by senior captains Brendan Fagan and Ben Green. In addition, returning starters include junior Matt Gregory and seniors Alex Wuschner and Andrew Deakin.   

“I’ve played on the team all four years I have been at FHS. I enjoy playing golf because it shows you who you really are, in terms of mental strength,” Fagan said.

Like Fagan, Green has played on the team for the past three years and will look to help the team work towards the state championship.

“Considering we were a young team last year, our season ended pretty well. We were all excited to grab one of the last spots in the state tournament, and we finished 17th in the state,” senior Ben Green said.

This year, the team will have the opportunity to have three of their home matches be played at Farmington Country Club. The rest of the matches will be held at Tunxis Plantation Country Club.

“I enjoy the constant challenge that golf provides. No matter your skill level, each and every round you play will throw new obstacles at you that will challenge both your mental and physical toughness.  It is only those who are able to overcome these challenges that will see improvement and success in the sport,” Green said.

Egazarian is a firm believer of a strong mental approach to the game, and this philosophy has played a role in how the team prepares for matches. This season, he is implementing a new mental process called Options, Selection, Visualization, Execution and Acceptance (OSVEA). The process is meant to improve focus and decision-making on the course. Egazarian believes that this will be essential to the team’s success.

“He has done a lot of mental training with us, something that is vital to golf. He has many interesting strategies to keep the team engaged, like metaphors and videos and has helped us all improve,” Gregory said.

The team will practice at Tunxis Plantation Country Club this season, and practices will depend on players’ individual weaknesses.

“Practices are based on individual golfers needs. Most of the time that involves playing rounds on the course and refining your game through simulated match conditions. Some individuals may just spend time just on the driving range and/or putting green for a whole practice when it’s necessary,”  Egazarian said.

Overall, the team is excited to have Egazarian back at the helm for another season because of what he brings to the team.

“He is one of the most committed coaches I have had in my years of high school sports. He wants to win, and he will do what it takes to get there. As a self-taught golfer himself, he knows the ins and outs of the fundamentals of golf and is working on teaching them to the team to equip us with the best skills possible,” Green said.

Egazarian is respected by his players because of his ability to make the season in a sense relaxing and fun, but also serious and makes sure the team puts in effort and work throughout the season.

“He brings a mix of seriousness and relaxation. We have time to joke with each other, but we have to be able to flip a switch a second later and get back into grind mode,” Fagan said.     

The team’s first match is yet to be determiend as their first scheduled match of the year on April 4 against Conard at Farmington Country Club was cancelled due to inclement weather.