You may know the Allderdice golf team from their numerous appearances in the Dice Weekly Newsletter, or their successes in local and state-level tournaments, but how much do you know about the ins and outs of the team and the sport?
In an interview with Allderdice golf coach of four years, Mr. Slosky, I received some insight on the school’s golf team; a successful team for an underrated sport. The team is a mix of novice golfers with little to no competitive experience, as well as more skilled and advanced players. “Several of them are just learning the game and had never played any competitive golf up to this point, but it was exciting because they really wanted to learn about the game,” says Mr. Slosky.
Even though many great players graduated the year prior, this season they still managed to take the top 3 spots in the city championship. The city championships are comprised of Pittsburgh Public Schools and the regional tournaments are made up of District 8 (city league) and District 9. Two students on the team were able to qualify for the regional tournament in Brookfield, Pennsylvania, both of whom advanced to the second round, tying for sixth, ending a successful season. Last year, then senior Benito Taormina, finished second at regionals, qualifying him for states.
In regional tournaments, they have what is referred to as a “shotgun start.” This means that each competitor is at a different hole but starting simultaneously. Each participant will move through each of the holes, starting and finishing at the same time. The golfers must keep track of their scores amongst themselves in groups of four, making these competitions relatively independent. There is no official or referee monitoring the golfer’s every move; this requires them to sort out issues on their own, exemplifying the independence of the sport.
There are a number of reasons why one would join the Allderdice golf team, whether it be the mental and physical benefits or the success of the team itself.
Playing golf can increase overall health and reduce the player’s risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. Research has shown that the sport of golf has been linked to maintaining lipid and glucose levels and improved lung function. Additionally, due to the enormous size of a typical golf course, golfers often end up walking 4 to 5 miles when completing the course. A study from the Karolinska Institute suggests that golf may contribute to a longer life span. This can largely be attributed to the low-intensity, high-exercise lifestyle.
Golf is a historically social sport. Golf is inherently social because it provides opportunities to meet new people, socialize, and enhance social connections. Socialization is important for adolescents navigating high school. Therefore participating in a sport at Allderdice with children of similar age can help students make friends and build better social connections.
Due to the fact that golf is a low-impact sport, the chance of any sort of serious injury occurring is not likely. For parents especially, safety in high school sports is of vital concern. Popular sports in high school include soccer and football, both of which involve a serious risk of concussion, fractures, and many more injuries. Golf, however, provides the benefits of a sport, with a low risk of serious injury.
To novice golfers, Mr. Slosky recommends joining the First Tee Pittsburgh program. This teaches students how to play the game and many players currently on the team have come through this program. Students who have experience playing golf can go ahead and try out for the team at the start of the season. The team has a week of tryouts where they pick the top 8 scorers. The goal for the team this coming season is to qualify for states to move onto states, by having a player finish in the top two spots at regionals. Overall the Allderdice golf team has shown itself to not only be a competitive team in the sport of golf but also a place where students can socialize and grow as people.
