With the recent victories of the Colonial Forge Golf Team, many are wondering, “What is the secret to success?” Whether it be how much they practice, experience, or natural skill, they are explosive this year. The golf team’s wins over Stafford on Sept. 9th and Riverbend on Sept. 13th leaves them with the standings of two wins, zero losses, and one tie. This record got them to the district tournament on Sept. 21st where they placed second and punched their shot to regionals where they were runner up again. This amazing performance on all cylinders by the team has led them to the state championship.

The CFHS Golf Team has been practicing hard on all fronts.

Makayla Grubb, one of the score leaders on the team said, “I see two different coaches and then practice an extra four hours a day, one in the morning and three after school. My personal goal is to be able to shoot under a 70”

All of this practice paid off when Makayala finished first overall at districts and helped her team finish second in regionals. While at districts, she shot a 72 on 18 holes meaning her combined score on 18 holes was 72 strokes.

She feels extremely happy about how the team has performed throughout the season, “I’m practicing hard, they’ve been practicing hard, and it’s been showing when we step onto the field.” 

AJ Hartley, a senior and score leader on the team, also commented on how he practices, “I just go and play, three to five hours a day. Golf is a sport where you can really pick yourself apart and find the bad things about yourself, but you need to look at the positives and just keep trying to improve.”

AJ is not the only one on the team that talks about how mental health is a large part of golf.

His brother Matt Hartley, a freshman on the team agreed, “Keeping a good mental state is a big influence on how you perform, we’ve had a good time and had fun and look how we’re performing. If you’re feeling good and enjoying what you’re doing, you have a better shot at achieving your goals.”

He followed this interview with an astounding performance at regionals, “I did really well at regionals and I’m happy with my progress.

The team is preparing for the state championship on Tuesday, October 10. If you see a member of the golf team walking down the hall, stop and say congrats for their amazing performances!

Edit: The golf team placed eighth overall at the Virginia State Championships.