Bemidji Boys Golf Plans to Build Off Hot Start Entering Second Half of Season

A warmer than usual winter meant less snow on the ground and less snow on the ground meant more time on the golf course for the Bemidji Boys golf team who has started off red hot in their 2024 campaign.

“Nothing can replace outdoor practice,” said senior Nick Carlson. “You can hit thousands of balls in the simulator and it helps. But actually being out here and being able to watch the ball fly as early as we’ve been able to this year is just it’s invaluable.”

Last year, the lumberjacks weren’t able to hit the tee box until May. This season they started in early April. But it’s not just the warm weather that has Bemidji playing so hot this spring. It’s what they did last summer.

“They play in probably ten junior PGA tournaments,” said head coach Seth Knudson. “They all played in The Birchmont, they all played in the Pine to Palm and so they’re tournament ready. And I think that makes a big difference coming in the spring.”

“It’s the many rounds that we’ve all played together,” added Carlson. “It’s the long range sessions, the thousands of balls we’ve hit, time on the putting green. I mean, all that plays a big role.”

The makeup of this year’s squad has also lent itself to the Jack’s early season success.

“Obviously, we lost a piece in Nick Yavarow,” admitted senior Carter Fish. “He was important to our team and obviously a really good player. And this year our team has really been able to mesh together to try and kind of fill that gap. So I’d say the team chemistry is the best it’s ever been.”

“These guys have been playing golf together since they were six,” Knudson added. “And you know, now four of them are seniors and they’re just such good friends and it’s such a tight group that they have each other’s back. It’s fun to watch.”

And the four seniors plan to make the most of what time they have left. With a little help.

“I think it’s kind of like quoting Michael Jordan. ‘It’s the last dance.’ It’s our last year to really make a statement,” remarked Senior Ryan Daman. “And we have two other guys other than the four seniors that help us almost every meet. We score one of them at least every meet.”

The results? Two tournament wins, another two top three finishes, and one head-to-head victory. Yet the team still prefers to keep a low profile as they embark on the second half of the season.

“The last four years we’ve been kind of like the younger team,” senior Eli Toumala explains. “No one really knows Bemidji and [we’ve] kind of flown under the radar this year, so we’re going to try to keep going. I think we just keep staying humble and just put our heads down and work. That’s just the best way to do it.”

“I think for the last three seasons previous, putting ourselves in this position, pressure makes diamonds and we’re able to kind of build off that,” said Fish. “It’s really just getting ourselves in that spot and able to capitalize on it. And finally, you’re starting to kind of see the fruits, but the job’s not finished yet.”

The job continues with back-to-back tournaments for the Lumberjacks, beginning tomorrow with the St. Cloud Country Club Boys Invite, and then continuing on Friday with the Northwest Classic at Detroit CC.