Boys golf 2023: Avon hoping to bounce back from tough finish last year

AVON — Sometimes the biggest triumphs are born of disappointments. That's been the case for Avon's boys golf team. Last season didn't end the way the Eagles wanted, losing the Southwestern Conference championship to Olmsted Falls and failing to make it out of sectionals. This year under the leadership of senior Hunter McCourt and with the additional of junior Tim Mai to the varsity lineup, the Eagles are headed back in the right direction. "We were a little disappointed in the way we finished last year," Eagles coach Jeff Stevens said. "It was a good year but we didn't reach our goals, we didn't win the SWC and we didn't advance our team to districts. We had the talent but we were inconsistent. You build off of that by learning from your mistakes from the year before and building on that." McCourt has been a leader on and off the course this year. When he's not shooting a 74 to lead the Eagles to victory at the SWC Preview at Pine Hills, he's mentoring his younger teammates on how to become top-level golfers. "I'm more focused on being a leader on the team than I am on just actual golf," McCourt said. "I'm trying to guide the younger guys as much as I can because I know I'm not going to be there with them for the rest of their careers." McCourt was a part of Avon's 2020 and 2021 SWC championship and district-qualifying teams, and although he advanced to districts for the third time last season as an individual, the way the season ended left a bitter taste in his mouth. "Last year was humbling. It was a different experience. It was more stressful," McCourt said. "This year Tim has added a backbone to the team. I know I count on him to bring in a low number. He's a player we can rely on to have a good round." Mai experienced a different type of disappointment last year. After playing varsity golf at Hilliard Darby High School as a freshman, where he posted the second-highest score on his team in the sectional tournament, he moved to Avon with his family prior to his sophomore year and was unable to crack the varsity lineup. He spent the year on the JV team. "I didn't expect the players to be as good when I got here," Mai said. "After the first day of tryouts, I knew I had to really step it up if I wanted to play varsity at Avon. I put a lot of work into my game. I didn't let it get into my head when I didn't make varsity, I just stayed focused." Mai said high school golf is generally tougher in Northeast Ohio than in Columbus, where the flat terrain means fewer courses with drastic elevation changes coming into play. Not only did Mai make the varsity lineup this year, he's consistently been ne of the best players on the roster, shooting rounds in the mid-70s. "Hunter has been a really good role model for me," Mai said. "I try to look up to him and model my game after him. I may not hit it as far but I try to model my mechanics after him. "I really didn't expect myself to play this well this year. I've been impressed that I've been able to put up good scores. I'm so glad I'm able to help the team." With an early lead in the SWC standings thanks to the preview win, and a record of success at Grey Hawk, site of the SWC and Division I sectional tournaments, and Pine Hills, site of the district tournament, Avon is hoping this season will have a much better ending. "I'm really excited for the rest of the season," McCourt said. "I feel like we have a solid group of really successful kids coming in who can really play golf and it's really awesome to see them make their mark on this program." Stevens gives much of the of the credit for the Eagles' protracted success to the management at their home course. "What really helps us is being able to play at Bob-O-Link," Stevens said. "They allow the kids to come up and play and hit a bucket of balls whenever they want. A lot of teams aren't as lucky as us to have a home course that provides so much." Contact Todd Shapiro at (440) 329-7135 or ctsports@chroniclet.com.