Lansing girls golf wins first Section IV title

Over the past few years, the Lansing girls golf team has been the premier force in the IAC. Not only did the Bobcats continue their reign of terror league-wide, they’ve now made a name for themselves across all of Section IV.

On May 23, the Bobcats captured their first sectional title in program history on an unforgettable afternoon at Soaring Eagles Golf Course in Horseheads. Head coach Kelly Baughan had plenty of faith that this year’s team could come out on top.

“All year, we talked about how it was very possible that if everybody played well that it could happen,” Baughan said. “For it to happen was amazing for the program for the girls, and it just goes to show that hard work pays off.”

The Bobcats certainly had to work for that sectional title, as evidenced by the razor-thin margin of victory. They accrued a score of 397 after 18 holes, just edging out Corning by three strokes. In most sports, Corning is in Classes AA and A, while Lansing is typically in Classes B and C. It makes the girls golf team’s feat all the more impressive.

“Everybody had to play the way they knew they could play, and they did,” Baughan said. “It’s amazing for a small school like Lansing, because at our sectionals, we’re competing against not just Class C. It’s all classes, big school and small school. I’ve heard a couple people say to me, ‘Wow, you are against Corning and Horseheads, and those are big schools.’ I said, ‘Yep. In golf, it doesn’t matter. You’re playing against everybody.’”

One week earlier, the Bobcats claimed their fourth consecutive IAC championship at Hillendale Golf Course in Ithaca. They did so in dominant fashion, beating the runner-up Marathon by 27 strokes. 

The course is far from the only one Lansing is familiar with even within Ithaca. Most of their practices and matches have been at RaNic Golf Course, and they’ve also had access to the Robert Trent Jones Golf Course at Cornell. Baughan credited the two courses for helping them facilitate a consistent practice routine.

“Thanks to them for allowing us to get out on the course and have the course available to us to be able to practice, to be able to practice our short game, to be able to go out on the course and hit multiple balls,” Baughan said.

The short game has been the biggest area of growth for the Bobcats this season.

“I know that is the part of the game that you can save strokes the most,” Baughan said. “When I looked back at their stroke average from the year, every single girl improved in their stroke average. Some of them improved by 10 strokes. That’s a lot of strokes to improve from last year to this year. Everybody improved.”

Another constant over the past few years has been Baughan’s daughter, Hailey. The sophomore is the only golfer currently on the team who has been a part of all four IAC championship-winning teams. With this year’s score of 84, Baughan earned medalist honors at IACs for the second time in a row. Then at sectionals, she dazzled with a score of 79, good for the third-best mark in the championship. Kelly has a clear firsthand account of how much Hailey has grown her game.

“I think she’s gotten stronger over the winter season playing hockey and working out at the gym,” Baughan said. “She’s hitting it a little bit further and being a little bit more consistent. [She’s] still working on her short game, which kind of failed her a little bit in the last round of sectionals, but she’s been working hard on that. [She’s] learning more about reading the course, reading the greens, knowing what’s going to happen, where you’re going to land it… what shot to hit at the right time, more of the mental aspect of the game.”

Another golfer who has impressed this season is Miley Palmer. The freshman finished in fourth place at IACs and tied for eighth place at sectionals after shooting a 96. Also a passionate squash player, Palmer brings that same level of ambition to the course.

“She has that drive and determination to do well,” Baughan said. “She was steady throughout the season. She’s super competitive. You tell her to do something and she does it.”

Perhaps the most astonishing aspect of this successful spell is their youth. The Bobcats have no seniors on the team, and all but one of their golfers will return next season. Along with a couple of exciting additions, expect more of the same level of dominance from the Bobcats in the near future.

“It is amazing to have such a strong team,” Baughan said. “I’ve heard a couple of other names from younger players that are thinking about coming out to play, so it’s excellent to know that I have that solid group and I can continue to add some more. It’s a great group of girls. I have fun coaching them.”