2005 Alabama Women's Golf Season Preview
2/11/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Golf
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University of Alabama head coach Betty Palmer is in her 17th season at the helm of the Crimson Tide women’s golf program and these are her thoughts about the upcoming season...
Can you give a general overall description of this year's team?
"They are a good group. They are a solid collection of players. They are good strikers of the ball and possess some strong course management skills. They are all improving in their short game play. Overall, they are a very confident group. The younger players are learning to pay more attention to the details. I think that solid and balanced are the best words to describe this team and that's encouraging to all the players to know that the pressure isn't solely on one person."
What do you consider the strengths for this year?
"The leadership of Megan (George) and Darby (Sligh), even though Darby hasn't been able to play yet because of her continuing back struggles. They have both been strong leaders already this season. I would say it is some of the most mature leadership we've had here in the last several years."
Are there any areas of concern or things the squad needs to work on?
"There is always things that can be better. I don't think you can ever work on the short game enough. The facility at Ol' Colony allows us to get the work
we need because it offers a wide array of short game options and situations to practice. The variety of lies, as well as the shape of the greens allows us a chance to work different shots and build confidence in our short game play. I firmly believe a daily dose of short game practice is what makes a golf program better."
Give a brief evaluation of your schedule and the challenges it presents?
"First off, it is a strong schedule. Our home tournament (UA-Ann Rhoads Intercollegiate) may not have been the strongest field but it was definitely a
good start for us. Tennessee's Mercedes Championship always has an extremely strong field. We are playing in Arkansas' tournament this fall for the first time and that gives us a chance to face several of the teams in the NCAA's Central Region. We finish up the fall at the SEC/ACC Challenge in Destin (Florida) against a very strong field. Anytime you play in an event that includes Duke, you are playing in a top event. This spring, we're going down to Miami and Don Shula's resort to play in Miami's tournament with another excellent field. We'll then make our run through the SEC playing in events at LSU, South Carolina and Georgia before going to the SEC Tournament. Those events always have strong, solid fields and if you can compete with them then you can compete with anybody in the country. I'm confident that our schedule includes some of the best events that college golf has to offer."
Taking a closer look at the team... Talk about your senior class?
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"Darby Sligh being out with a back injury has certainly been a setback for us. I think the group has really taken that challenge head on and each person individually hasmade a commitment to step-up. Her leadership to the team is still there and that is very encouraging. It has been difficult for her to handle not playing but she is mature enough to know what she can do to help us and is learning what she can bring to the table as an encouraging teammate.
"Megan George had a great summer. She was the medalist at the US Open qualifier and also the medalist at the US Amateur qualifier, where she advanced to match play in the US Amateur Championship. She really gained a lot of confidence this summer and nowknows that she can compete in golf at the highest levels. Megan leads by example for this team. She is a class act all the way through top to bottom."
(On Darby returning for the Spring Season)
"We are not sure right now. She had small surgical procedure performed early in the fall and that is going to take a couple months to heal. After that, it
will be a decision made by Darby and her doctors. We certainly would love to get her back for the spring, but our first and main focus is to get her well.
Not just for our immediate needs at the University of Alabama but for her future in golf because when Darby is healthy she is a tremendous player with a
very bright future in the game."
Now the juniors?
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"Audrey Gale, a transfer from UNC Wilmington, came to us as a solid allaround player and has only gotten better this summer and over the first part of the fall. I expect to see continued solid play from her this year. I think that with Megan, Carina and Audrey we have three players who enter every tournament feeling like they have a chance to win the whole thing. When players have that type of focus and attitude it makes for a great deal of success for your team as a whole."
Next up is the sophomores?
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"Maggie Hall is being redshirted this season to work on all aspects of her game. We believe that this will help prepare her to possibly challenge for a travel spot next season.
"Finally, Lisa Andrzejewski is also going to redshirt this season after battling severe tonsillitis earlier this fall."
Lastly the freshmen?
"The twins, Emily and Rebecca Sykes are absolutely two of the sweetest kids you'll ever meet. They come to us from Australia, where they had strong junior records including being ranked 3rd (Emily) and 7th (Rebecca) in the country's junior girl's rankings. They are both very solid players. They aren't long ball hitters but they are very accurate shot makers. Right now they are getting adjusted to the United States and being that far away from home. It just takes a little while for that and requires some patience on our part. They were highly recruited by several schools in the U.S. and we are thrilled and fortunate to have them on our team. They are a true joy to have as a part of this program."
What are your expectations and goals for this season?
"We have set a variety of goals including scoring goals, finishing goals and practice goals. Obviously, every season one of our main goals is to return to the NCAA Regionals and hopefully progress on to Nationals. This is a quality team and there is no reason they shouldn't be able to handle the challenge of contending day in and day out. Golf is a bizarre game... sometimes it takes away and other times it gives back to you. Our plan is to keep things consistent,
level-headed and smooth and I believe these young ladies all have the ability to do that."
What would you say are the keys for success this year?
"Staying very focused and keeping our confidence at a high level. The players need to stay organized in their thoughts, especially during their rounds and maintain their game plan. I think a lot of players struggle with this facet of the game and it tends to get them off track very easily. It is the same
as in any other sport, you have a game plan and you have to stick to it. I think by accomplishing that we'll see the greatest success."
Share your feelings about the new practice facility at Ol' Colony and what it means for the program?
"It is already paying dividends for us as we've been using the practice area itself for about a year now. It is going to be one of the finest facilities in the country when it is finished. We have access to every possible lie for any shot and that is definitely a benefit. The building, with its outdoor hitting bays and its state-of-the-art video equipment, will set us apart from other schools. It is an amazing opportunity that we have been given and our team is definitely embracing it. It is fantastic. It is nice to go out there and have the girls excited to be there and hungry to get their work done on the practice range. They can see themselves improving and that builds their confidence. I'm just excited and I can't wait until it opens fully and we move out there completely. The facility is going to be fantastic and a great asset for golf at the University of Alabama."
(Facility Specifics)
"Both the men's and women's teams will each have three hitting bays. The outside bay will serve as our video-teaching station. It will be equipped with the V1 system which is top notch. The middle two bays will actually have five putting holes equipped with the V1 putting carpet. They'll have some contour with some breaks so that the players can get good putting practice. The facility will have a meeting room and a locker room for the players along with an office for me and my assistant coach. In the assistant's office we'll also have a computer work station for the players to use to do projects or to use during weather delays during practice."
