Led by new Head Coach Andrew D’Ambrosio, Boys Varsity Golf is entering the 2024 Spring season after practicing indoors for the first part of the season due to rain.
Coach D’Ambrosio comes to Boys Varsity Golf after coaching Boys Junior Varsity Lacrosse for nine years and Boys Varsity Lacrosse for six years.
Though this is his first year coaching golf, Coach D’Ambrosio is experienced in the sport. He grew up playing golf and continues to be an avid golfer.
The team concluded its 2023 season with a 14-5-1 record, beating rivals Loomis, Choate, Taft, and Salisbury. At the end of the season, the team competed in the Founders League Championship, where it took 1st place.
The team also finished 4th out of 25 teams in the Kingswood Invitational Tournament (KIT), behind Choate, Exeter, and Deerfield.
The 2024 season began with the team traveling to Fox Hopyard in East Haddam, CT to compete against NMH and Loomis. Having had few practice opportunities, the golfers ended the day with a loss to Loomis (213-215) and a tie with NMH (215-215).
Jake Doherty ’26 was the lowest scorer for Hotchkiss with a 39 (par 36), and Alex Zhang ’24 also turned in an admirable first outing with a 42. Captain Cam Holland ’24 said, “The team so far is meshing together nicely and it looks like success should be in the near future.”
Reflecting on the start of the season, Coach D’Ambrosio said, “It was the first time the boys had a chance to play outside during the season, which placed them at a distinct disadvantage. Despite wet and windy conditions, the boys tied NMH and lost to Loomis by just two shots.”
One aspect of Coach D’Ambrosio’s coaching philosophy is his emphasis on the mental aspect of the sport. He said, “For many, competitive golf could be just mind-bending. I think that my goal as the head coach is to bring a deeper level of understanding of the competitive golfer mentality.”
In addition to five returners, the team is welcoming three new members: Aidan Patton ’26, Keane Prasertsintanah ’25, and Aidan Kelly ’24. With the diverse range of returning and new golfers, coach
Coach D’Ambrosio said, “All eight guys need to be competitive. If we truly have eight options in any given match, then I think that’s the sign of a great team. I think a big goal is not the maturation of their own games, but helping the maturation of each other’s games.”
