Golf Team Swings Into Ambitious Spring Season
By Tatum Lee ’29
On Thursday, April 2, Milton Academy’s co-ed Varsity Golf team formed its final roster for the season, composed of young but talented golfers.
JaeYoung Moon ’29, a returning freshman on the team, mentioned how the biggest loss to the season was Reese Jensen ’25, last year’s star senior, who is continuing his golf excellence at Harvard University. Moon elaborates further by sharing how the team has “filled the spot well,” with strong additions to the team such as Jack Cheever ’30, an eighth grader in Milton’s middle school, and off-season growth thanks to the golf simulator in the basement of the RSG. Returning freshman Riley Donovan ’29, who participated in last season’s Golf ISL Championship, highlights how even in the absence of a powerhouse like Jensen, the team is confident they will be “much stronger than the year before.”
The team is already displaying excellent commitment in pursuit of further growth and success. Darby Yang ’27 reflected that the team possesses a great deal of resilience. When asked about what the Milton community should expect from the golf team this season, Yang wanted the students and faculty to know that the team will persevere through every challenge. She comments how the team “is still going out in the rain in freezing temperatures, trying their best to improve and perform at their highest,” urging the Milton community to recognize the team as a sport filled with dedicated players that are always hounding towards success.
This season, many goals have been set among the members of the Varsity Golf Team. When posed with the task of describing the team in one word, Moon notes that the best word to describe the team would be “committed,” with a close second as “fun and enjoyable.” Recognizing the easygoing nature of the sport and the variety of people involved on the team, Moon notes how the team “makes sure to take the sport seriously but also keep the spirits high.” Similarly, in regards to the torrential rain experienced during one of the tryout days on Wednesday, April 1, Yang brings up the team’s efforts to abide by the team’s “no-complaining rule” to maintain positivity. Upperclassman Alisha Xu ’27 considers it a priority to “create a welcoming environment and foster good team bonding” for the squad’s young talent. Senior Kailyn Love ’26 echoes Xu’s goal, underlining how important unity is through “contributing through being open to feedback and having a positive mindset” as a golf team in a game that “can feel isolating during matches.”
In terms of competitive goals, in 2022, the golf team won its first Kingman Cup title in ISL history and is eager to proclaim itself champions once again. Hayes Holmgren ’27 mentions the team’s last two performances in the Kingman Cup, stating how the team “[has] been really close to winning the Kingman.” Donovan adds how last year they were “just a stroke away from clinching the Kingman title.” Holmgren follows his thought by emphasizing that, for his teammates, a Kingman title would mean breaking through their current cycle and proving to themselves that they are capable of becoming ISL Champions, not just an impact felt for this season but a momentous step that will be palpable for seasons to come.
This year’s Varsity Golf team could prove to be a team that Milton Academy will talk about in the succeeding years. With the golf team’s relentless ambition, competitive nature, endless positivity, and strong work ethic, it should be no surprise to see the team succeed in many areas this season.