A big spring awaits the LSU men’s and women’s golf teams after a fall that featured numerous top 10 finishes and tournament victories.
Both teams enter the spring in the Top 10 of the Golfweek/Sagarin rankings, with the Men sitting at No. 8 and the Lady Tigers ranked No. 4.
Neither squad is short on standout performers, as Megan McChrystal is the No. 1 ranked female player in the country and four male golfers rank in the Top 100, according to the Golfweek rankings.
The Tigers began their season with an 11-stroke triumph at the Gopher Invitational at Minnesota in September, kicking off a fall stretch that included a victory at the David Toms Intercollegiate and a runner-up finish at the prestigious Isleworth Collegiate Invitational.
The Lady Tigers held the No. 1 spot in the polls for much of the fall, as the squad racked up a win at the Mason Rudolph Championships and runner-up finishes in the NCAA Fall Preview and the Tar Heel Invitational.
LSU women’s coach Karen Bahnsen, in her 27th year at the helm, said she was pleased with the fall results, but also that spring is a different challenge for her players.
“Spring is the portion of our season when all of our major championships are played,” Bahnsen said. “But the fall season certainly gave us a lot of confidence where we know we can compete consistently at a high level.”
LSU men’s coach Chuck Winstead said the spring schedule is more difficult because of adverse course conditions.
“The reality is that the first half of the spring is very difficult because the players have to face challenging conditions on tough courses at times when the weather isn’t very good,” said Winstead. “As the spring progresses, the scores will lower.”
Both coaches credited the newly renovated University Club for preparing the golfers for more difficult courses.
“The players used to be a little more intimidated when we went to harder golf courses, but practicing on a difficult course all the time has helped toughen them up for those challenging tournaments,” Bahnsen said.
Winstead said the new course gave the players more confidence when they faced early trouble in their rounds.
“Having a more difficult practice track instills a toughness in their games that allows them to overcome adversity and continue to make quality swings through any struggles a course may cause,” Winstead said.
Despite the high rankings each team enjoys, both coaches say the goals for their respective teams are very simple.
“My expectations never change for my team in that I just want us to improve every time they play,” Winstead said. “If each of our guys does that, I have no doubt they’re strong enough to compete for great things.”
Bahnsen said the Lady Tigers needed to be focused and work hard in their daily practices, the mental aspect of the game will define her team’s spring.
“Golf is one of those sports where your attitude is very important,” Bahnsen noted. “And I think this team’s got the right approach.”
Both teams open the spring portion of the schedule with February tournaments in Florida.
 
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Contact Chris Abshire at [email protected]