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05/29/2023 07:19 AMGoing through struggles is part of building a successful team in any sport. It’s often facing those obstacles and experiencing hurdles that seem difficult to overcome that can help build character and make a squad stronger. For the Old Saybrook golf team, gaining that strength is exactly what they’re focused on.
After a strong regular season that landed the Rams in the No. 2 seed for the Shoreline Conference Championship match on May 23, Old Saybrook performed below its expectations, shooting 363 as a team at Stanley Golf Course in New Britain. This placed the Rams in ninth out of 11 teams on the day.
“We didn’t play our best round of golf,” Old Saybrook golf Head Coach Brian Dailey said. “I know the guys were pretty disappointed by that.”
Fortunately, Old Saybrook will have an opportunity to rebound from the tough performance. Dailey has made sure to remind his golfers of that with a few matches remaining on the spring schedule.
“I think we can definitely move (forward) in a positive way,” Dailey said. “We still have work to do. We’re fortunate that the state tournament will be back on the same course. We got a chance to see it recently.”
Drew Kulmann, Rylan Murphy and Connor Cassella have been the Rams’ top three golfers pretty much all season, while Adam Dower, Peter Wisialowski and Jacob Speed continue to compete for the fourth and fifth spots on the roster. Dailey has been pleased with what that group’s brought in terms of both leadership and professionalism. The team culture is strong, and, for the most part, so too have been the results.
Though he shot an 88 in Shorelines, Kulmann, a junior captain, has been Old Saybrook’s top scorer for the spring. He’s already qualified for the State Open at Black Hall Club in Old Lyme on Saturday, June 10 and was selected to the First Team All-Shoreline Conference. Murphy — who carded a team-best 81 – has been a solid No. 2 and earned Shoreline’s Second Team All-Conference honors. And again, the Rams have quality depth behind that duo.
Cassella has impressed Dailey with his quiet demeanor, while Dower is regarded as maybe the team’s hardest worker. Dailey’s also watched Speed improve his approach as the season has progressed.
“He’s done very well controlling bad shots, and his reaction to that,” said Dailey. “He’s able to keep the mental (side of the) game under control.”
Wisialowski has matured into a leader for a squad that Dailey aims to keep supportive and positive.
“We’ve really tried to establish a positive culture, where you’re playing against yourself and you’re playing against the course,” Dailey says.
Old Saybrook had 12 golfers, including six freshmen, come out at the start of the season. While that obviously bodes well for the future, Dailey had more immediate concerns at the time. Right from the jump, Dailey made clear his expectations: he would play the five best golfers.
That’s made for quality competition internally.
“We have a good problem. We have guys fighting for those No. 4-5 spots,” Dailey noted. “Those bottom spots are kind of up for grabs. Really, it stands on who’s playing well at a given point. That in-house competition is really what helped us turn the corner.”
The Rams went 11-2 in match play, including 9-1 within the conference. They are currently fourth in Division III, putting them in the final pairing for the state meet on Tuesday, June 6. That is what made their performance at the Shoreline Championship — in which Portland defended its title — so frustrating for Dailey and Co.
Stanley has more elevation changes and different-sized greens than Fenwick Golf Course, where Old Saybrook primarily plays. Still, even with the challenge of playing a full 18 holes, the Rams expected a better showing. They plan to use it as a learning tool in the coming weeks.
“We feel we have a pretty bright outlook moving forward,” Dailey said. “A strong performance in the state tournament would give us a little bit of a push at the end of the year.”
Old Saybrook has other business to take care of first, however, as they will finish up the regular season slate against Hale Ray at Fenwick followed by a two-man, best-ball tournament with Cromwell, Haddam-Killingworth and North Branford at home on Tuesday, May 30.
“(The best-ball) is kind of a fun event at the end of the year,” Dailey said. “At this point, I think we’re all putting in our top two scorers. It’s the first one, but we’ve been talking about it for a couple of years. We’re fortunate to be hosting it.”
After all, as is often the case, Old Saybrook has fared quite well on its home course.
“The wind is probably the biggest challenge that we face,” Dailey said of Fenwick. “It’s got really small greens, so you’ve got to be aware of the conditions on that day. We know that course well, and we play well there. Our scores have been better at home than anywhere else.”
Ideally, they will use it to build momentum heading into the most pivotal part of the season.
In addition to Kulmann, Murphy, Cassella, Dower, Wisialowski and Speed, Old Saybrook’s roster includes Ethan Terrible, Brandon Beaudoin, Evan Devaney, Josh Roslonek, Casey DeAngelo and Ryan Brodeur.