The Buffs golf team teed off its fall season this weekend, playing back-to-back tournaments at the Crooked Creek Golf Club in London, Ky. and the Spring Brook Country Club in Niota, Tenn. 

Being in their first competition of the year, the five players who qualified struggled during the two-day event in London, finishing 12^th out of 15 teams. The players said the unfamiliar and difficult course made for a challenging season opener.

The team put up a final score of 325 on Thursday and shaved 14 strokes to trim their total to 311 on Friday. Ben Treadway, a freshman from Johnson City, played well, shooting back-to-back 75s, just three strokes shy of par on the 6,900-yard, par 72 course.

“The fall season is kind of a warm-up for our spring season,” said junior Michael Woods, of Knoxville. “We have a talented team, and I think we will be able to come together as a team for upcoming tournaments and the spring season.” 

Woods’ thoughts seem to be common among all the players, who said they are confident there is only room for improvement in their collective performance.

After a couple of days’ rest, the Buffs were back on the green, this time at the Tennessee Wesleyan Invitational in Niota, Tenn. The team improved its overall score; however, the players said they did not perform to their full potential. The team played 36 holes in one day and said fatigue drained them both physically and mentally. In the end, they took fifth place out of a total of 10 teams.

Treadway played well once again, finishing with a first-round score of 75 and a 76 second round. The Buffs ended the day with a team score of 621.

Last season, the Buffs won the Region XII and AAC conference championships and made their first trip to NAIA National Tournament. This year’s players expect nothing less and have made a return trip to nationals their primary goal. In order to do so, the Buffs must combine the talents of the freshmen with the experience of the upperclassmen.