Despite a cold and rainy start to the season, Girls Varsity Golf is playing with energy and animation on the course.
After earning second place in both the Founders League and New England Championships and going undefeated in the regular season, the team strives to maintain its position as the strongest team in New England.
Head Coach David Bolmer ’73 prioritizes individual improvement and teaches players to do their best. He advises, “You have to have the right attitude. It’s similar to track. You can lose a race, but if you ran your best time ever, then in one sense, that’s a success. The same thing happens in golf.”
Both the players and Coach Bolmer believe that a close group dynamic is key to success this season. The past two seasons, the roster remained nearly the same, but this season the team faces the challenge of integrating many new players. Daphne Chao ’20, the number one seed, said, “We try to have team dinners as much as possible, and although golf is an individual sport, we really cheer each other on and watch each other play during the matches.”
New players have felt this support. Eliza Dana ’22 said, “I’m really being included in the team. It’s amazing how even an individual sport can feel so much like a team sport. Even though it’s only been two months, I feel like I’ve known [my teammates] all for so long.

During practice, the players work to improve their mental game in addition to their focus on chipping, driving, and putting. Coach Bolmer uses unique strategies to improve each player’s mentality and better prepare them to be adaptable during matches.
During one of their practices, to help with distance control and judgement, Coach Bolmer directed the players to only use half their set of clubs. During another practice, Coach Bolmer refused to let players take practice swings. Dana reflects, “[Coach Bolmer’s drills] make us more aware…and help us focus on certain parts of our game. He likes that they make us think.”
On Monday, May 13, the team traveled to the Wyantenuck Country Club for The Pippy O’Connor golf tournament. The all-day tournament brought together 35 schools from all over New England. “Pippy” presented a special opportunity, because unlike many other tournaments, the team played a full 18 holes and individual players received recognitions in addition to team awards.
After placing second in the tournament during both her Prep and Lower Mid years, Chao placed second for the third year in a row, coming up short in a playoff.
Collectively, the team placed third, with a score of 319 and +31 over par.
The team awaits an upcoming co-ed tournament at Silo Ridge and a match against Westminster on May 18. With a 10-1-2 record, they will play for a Founder’s League Championship on Wednesday, May 22.