HOLDEN — Four seasons ago, the Wachusett Regional High boys’ golf team adopted Rutland’s Bedrock Golf Club as their home course for practices and matches, and based on the results, no one is questioning the merits of the move. The Mountaineer boys have been victorious on the new links in all but one match, giving credence to the term ‘home course advantage’ for the green and white.
“Bedrock is a significant advantage because it’s tight and you have to know which club to hit where,” veteran head coach Nick Guerin explained. “You can’t look out there and see the layout and try to hit it as far as you can. You have to use every club in your bag and scramble. We use that to our advantage.”
Senior Joey McGlynn agreed with his coach.
“Playing at home is a big advantage,” McGlynn said. “You know the layout and how the greens run. Plus, we all come together and work, and we’re all friends.”
“As a team, it gives us an advantage because not many teams play out at Bedrock, but I personally play better at other courses just because they fit my game better,” said senior co-captain Perry Flagg.
This year the team is out to eclipse the successful season of 2022, when the squad recorded a record of 12-6, qualifying for District playoffs. As of this writing, they sit at 4-2 with a full slate of matches ahead. Many of their opponents will be stout, so no letdowns can occur if they hope to engage in postseason competition. Of note on the schedule are powerhouse teams Nashoba Regional, Bishop Feehan and, perhaps most challenging of all, perennial foe St. John’s High of Shrewsbury.
“I like the way that this team has bonded, and how we put our heads down and play,” said senior co-captain Jason Manxhari. “We’re a good team, and we have confidence in our abilities.”
“I like all the people on this team,” said senior Ayden White. “We have pretty good depth. It’s a good team.”
What most players and coaches focus on is avoiding lapses where mental miscues can affect match outcomes. That cannot come into play. The team must surmount the mental challenges of the game and need to leave occasional poor shots squarely in the rearview mirror.
“Mentally, everyone has to be fully focused on their game and be calm,” Manxhari said. “We can’t let nerves get to us. If we play our own game, I think with our skills, we all have the potential to go under par. But it really comes down to our minds.”
“Golf is mental, 100%. The other day, I wasn’t playing well and just broke down mentally,” said White. “One bad shot can cause a bad round. That can’t happen.”
Another crucial point of Wachusett teams past and present is the concept of teamwork, which may sound anathema to golf, a game seen largely as an individual sport. But Guerin and his troops know that when one player may have an off day, another may be stepping up to make a difference. Flagg provides the perfect anecdote.
“The other day, for example, I shot poorly and other guys made up by making the shots that I couldn’t that day. The other days it’s the reverse, in that I’ll play better and pick them up if they’re having a not-so-good day.”
Members of the 2023 Wachusett Regional High School boys’ varsity golf team are Perry Flagg, John Kalinowski, Jason Manxhari, Andrew McCarthy, Joey McGlynn, Ricky Narain, Vincent Palumbo, Andrew Victor and Ayden White. Captains are Perry Flagg and Jason Manxhari. The team is coached by Nicholas Guerin.
