UCLA men’s golf well-prepared for high winds at NCAAs

A men’s golf season that saw the team face unexpectedly adverse weather conditions will fittingly be concluded in Kansas, a state known for its wind and trailer-park-plowing tornadoes.

This weekend, UCLA men’s golf will play in the NCAA men’s golf championship at Prairie Dunes Country Club in Hutchinson, Kan. The championship tournament will last from Friday to Wednesday and will crown both an individual champion and a team champion.

To prepare for the possibility of violent dune-shaping winds, the Bruins decided to practice at a familiar course near Kansas during the lead-up to the championship tournament.

“The (Oklahoma) course is in really good shape, a super tough golf course, and it’s only three hours away from Kansas so the weather will be pretty much the same. We played here earlier in the year and coach (Derek) Freeman has connections to the course so we’ve been able to practice here this week,” said sophomore Lorens Chan. “And the last couple of days have been windy, so this has been really good practice to prepare us for Kansas – a really productive last couple of days for us.”

However, this wind-conscious preparation began almost a month ago when men’s golf underperformed at The Gallery Golf Club in Marana, Ariz., in some of the most difficult and surprising conditions it has experienced all season. There, the Bruins faced fierce gusts of wind and an unexpected rainstorm that saw them drop down the leaderboard.

It became clear that they would have to learn to play through inclement conditions if they were to give themselves a chance, especially since their two remaining tournaments were to be in Texas and, finally, Kansas.

“After (The Gallery Golf Club) tournament, we trained with the weather in mind,” Chan said. “Our last couple of practices in L.A. we went to TPC Valencia just because it is windier there so we could start playing in the wind and become comfortable with it. It was smart and hopefully it works out.”

As the emphasis seems to be, “it’s all about the wind,” according to sophomore Jonathan Garrick.

“So I definitely think that our preparation will help,” Garrick said.

After the long hours of practice and preparation, a windy course has become a familiar environment even for a team from Southern California.

“We’ve played (in Oklahoma) before in September, at the beginning of the school year, so this area is familiar now and it’s how Kansas will be,” said senior Anton Arboleda. “We’ve experienced a lot of crazy weather these last few tournaments – a lot of wind, a lot of rain – so we are used to tough conditions, tough courses and strong fields. We are used to these places now and we will be ready to play.”