As the fall semester wraps up, the golf season comes to an end. This year, the West Ranch Girls’ Varsity Golf Team has had an eventful season marked by outstanding camaraderie and individual effort. With a six-student roster, composed of two seniors, one junior and three freshmen, the varsity team is strong.
Throughout each season, every student plays an important role on the team. However, this year stood out as the impact of the incoming freshmen was undeniable. Phoebe Tsao and Zoë Greif were able to advance into the League despite it being their first season in high school golf. “A lot of the time, we don’t get a lot of freshmen that come in and make an impact,” Coach Holen explained, “Both of those freshmen were able to make it.”
Tsao demonstrated her commitment to golf, spending around two hours each day perfecting her craft, taking golf lessons with a focus on improving her weak areas, such as her short game. “Short game is putting and chipping (short distance); the difference between putting and chipping is that they’re different clubs,” Tsao elaborated. She also discussed her love for tournaments and the ability to improve her game.
However, golf is more than just a purely physical game; it is also a mental challenge. Freshman Noelle Hong explained the importance of maintaining a stable mindset, “Basically, I just have to trust in myself, because if I overthink stuff, my swing’s gonna get messed up.” The psychological aspect is prominent in sports, especially when accuracy and focus are essential.
The immense preparation from the varsity golf team consolidates the fundamentals of the sport. Coach Holen talked about how beginner’s golf is centered around learning the fundamentals, while varsity is about passion for the game and connection to the school. “Varsity golf is different in the sense of you’re playing for something. If you go in the gym, there’s a league banner that talks about how many league championships we have.” He went on to express his pride for all of the amazing athletes he has coached and witnessed grow into hardworking young adults.
Senior Kathryn Mong evaluated how it felt to represent West Ranch through the team’s uniforms, “Wearing our school’s colors reminds me that I’m not just competing for myself but also for my teammates as well.”
The golf team has developed its Wildcat spirit through the sportsmanship and growth that emerged from participating in the varsity team. Coach Holen described participating in championships as “a way to show your school pride through athletics.”
The West Ranch varsity golf team has had a successful season, with four members of the team making appearances in the CIF individual championship and the whole group placing 18th overall in the team championship. These outstanding statistics allowed the team to qualify for the CIF Division 1 Championship Tournament. In a major tournament, senior team leaders Kathryn Mong and Chloe Busnawi shot right at par for the league, helping the West Ranch Golf team remain close to Valencia.
Although there are no official titles distributed among the girls’ varsity golf team, students continue to rise to the occasion. Busnawi was the verbal type of team leader, while Mong was the type of team leader who improved herself and strived to be better. Mong described the importance of leading through example, explaining, “I’ve learned that leadership isn’t about giving directions but more of setting an example.”
West Ranch’s very own girls’ varsity golf team has come a long way since its first CIF championship appearance in 2007. In the beginning, only one student made an individual appearance, while the 2025 season saw four athletes compete in the prestigious competition. This improvement is looking to continue, so Cats, keep an eye on our varsity golf team!
