The Spring Valley/Elmwood/Plum City boys golf team started the year a bit slow, posting a combined 224 on nine holes, but have lowered their score every single event and are now nearing where they want to be.

After the 224, SV/EPC has scored 209, 207 and, most recently, 401 on 18 holes. The scores have not yet yielded a breakout team placement; however, they are digging themselves out of the bottom spot in the standings and moving up little by little.

“We’ve been getting better and better each match,” SV/EPC Coach Tyler Anderson said.

Sophomore Chase Glaus and freshman Ruger Peavey have led the way for the team thus far, battling back and forth for the team’s top score. Glaus shined at the April 22 conference meet in Spring Valley, posting a 41 to place fourth on the day.

Having a freshman and sophomore at the top gives fans a high hope for the future, but it also comes with some inconsistencies as they establish themselves.

“Both of them show signs of being really solid golfers,” Anderson said. “A little bit of inconsistency with both of them, and I think that’s just the fact of both of them being young, and they haven’t played a lot of golf.”

Trailing the underclassmen have been juniors Darik Stoffel and Maxx Wittmer, so the SV/EPC top four can remain intact next year. Anderson said they are on the right track, and some early season struggles are starting to be patched.

“It’s been a little bit of both with inexperience and weather,” Anderson said. “We had one or two practices on the actual golf course before our first match.”

As the year goes on, Anderson hopes to see the short game improve. If everyone can take a couple strokes per round out of their score with made putts and improved chips, that can add up in a hurry.

“Definitely our short game around the greens. We’ve really struggled chipping and putting,” Anderson said. “One day we look really good around the green, the next day not so good… Short game is kind of what makes or breaks your golf game.”