Sr. Carson Witvoet walked up to the green as he watched his ball sitting patiently, the grass was still wet with dew. Witvoet got low to the ground as he examined his putt from both sides of the hole. He walked back up to his ball, and for the first time that season, he was confident with his putter. Witvoet went through his routine, took a deep breath and rolled his ball into the hole. He went on to shoot a season-low two under par, 34.
In the past, West Ottawa has never been known for its golf team. There have been several former West Ottawa golfers who have gone on to find personal success in the sport, however, the WO golf team as a whole had yet to make their mark. This season was different.
In recent years, West Ottawa was “middle of the pack” at best, when compared to the rest of the OK Red Conference. At the end of the 2023 season, the team knew they were returning many of the players. Coach Tarry Cutter said it was up to them to play as much golf as possible in the off-season if they wanted to win a conference championship the following season.
As tryouts began for the 2024 season, something felt different. The improvements made by players were remarkable. One player who stands out as the most improved is sophomore, William Nagelvoort. Coming into high school, Nagelvoort was a hockey player and not a huge golfer. He tried out for golf in the spring of 2023 and ended up playing in both J.V. matches and a few matches for the varsity team. In 2023, Nagelvoort ended his season at the Post-Season Tournament with a 97, a mediocre golf score. In this past season, the Post-Season Tournament was held at the same course as the previous season. Unbothered by it, Nagelvoort got his revenge and shot an outstanding score of a four over par 76. In that same round, Nagelvoort didn’t start how he wanted, being five over par through his first eight holes. He turned it around and made an impeccable finish as his last twelve holes were one under par.
In just a year Nagelvoort shaved 21 strokes off his game. Nagelvoort practiced all summer focusing on specific parts of his game. “It took a lot of time and effort. Overall, it took dedication and just playing every day and getting repetitions,” said Naglevoort. Only through two years of high school, Nagelvoort achieved the All-Conference award at the end of the season and will keep working hard to have even lower scores in his last two years of high school.
Another player who stepped up for West Ottawa Golf this season was Jr. Landon Meyer. Meyer had played for the J.V. in his first two seasons. He decided to put in the work and he went into tryouts confident and ready to prove himself. Meyer had a solid tryout and made the team. Throughout the season, Meyer would hit as many balls as he could and stayed late after practice to further improve his game. “Over the course of the offseason, I spent a lot of time out on the course and on the driving range. Once it got too cold to play outside, I would go to the golf room in the South Building or get a simulator at Macatawa Golf Club,” said Meyer. He couldn’t get enough of it and was dedicated to expanding his skill set.
In addition to players putting in work in the off season, another integral component that led to success in the 2024 season was the team’s ability to synergize. Everyone on the team got along. On the driving range at practice, teammates gave unwavering support. If a player was struggling with a certain club or shot they were trying to hit, their teammates could give great advice that was effective.
The team also bonded out of golf too. They would frequently get food after practices and matches, allowing them to get to know each other better. When a team can come together and feel a connection, there is a greater chance they will find success. After the team came in first place at the East Kentwood Jamboree, they treated themselves to Chick-Fil-A. It is important for teams to celebrate their successes and be together.
The team huddles before getting sent off to the first hole on match days to get everyone in the correct headspace and unite the team. Golf is a game that is mentally exhausting. If players think they are going to play badly, they will. There is a famous quote, “Golf is 90% mental and the other 10% is in your head.” Having teammates who can help one another through the mental game is very special. In one of the team huddles, “Go out there and just have fun, if you have a bad hole or a couple bad breaks in a row, it’s okay. Bounce back, if you have a double-bogey on the first hole then just par the rest,” Sr. Charlie Racelis said.
The coach played an important role as well. Cutter, the varsity coach, who has a lot of experience in coaching helped the team by providing constructive feedback and motivation. For example, a week before the OK Red Post-Season Tournament, Cutter sat the team down to make sure they knew the circumstances at hand. Cutter told the players that they had the chance to make school history going into the tournament. He said that if the team could finish first or second at the tournament they would be conference champions for the first time ever. He told his team to remember they aren’t playing against the other teams, they are playing against the golf course.
The team practiced hard for a week straight, going to the range every day and working on all parts of their game. The day of the tournament rolled around and everyone was focused and prepared. They got the job done by finishing second place to Rockford and West Ottawa Golf was awarded their first Conference Championship in school history.
