Steamboat Springs boys golf has had incredible individual success in recent history, but this year, head coach Josh Dunahoe has his sights set on placing and winning tournaments as a team. 

“I would love to see some of these guys do well individually, that would be great,” Dunahoe said. “But I’d like to keep the team scores as low as possible without trying to set the bar too high.” 

This season the team includes a healthy mix of upperclassmen and underclassmen. The biggest advantage is how much time the boys have already spent on the golf course this summer, helping them stay prepared for the season ahead.

Dunahoe will work out the kinks by helping the boys make better decisions on the course and be more confident in their short games to earn lower scores. 

“It’s great to have them hit the ground running with our season because they’re already in good form and have already competed in a few tournaments,” Dunahoe said. “They’ve got their footing under them with their golf swing.” 

Dunahoe had a chance to get a baseline of what the season could look like from his team when the Sailors traveled to their first tournament of the season, the Longhorn Classic in Basalt on Aug. 13. 

The Sailors played hard to a fifth-place finish in the tournament with lowest scores from Steamboat coming off the clubs of seniors Jack Fisher, 81, and James Cotter, 84, as well as junior Arran Flam, 84. 

Alex Johnson, senior, shot an 86 to round out the Steamboat team score and almost accomplishing Dunahoe’s season-long goal of putting up four scores at 85 or better. 

The Sailors will be back in action for the Eagle Valley Invitational on Aug. 28 and will host their home tournament at Haymaker Golf Course on Sept. 10. Dunahoe is looking forward to showcasing the team’s talents at the home course. 

“I’ve got a lot of good kids in this program,” Dunahoe said. “A lot of guys are already putting forth a lot of effort, they are really motivated to do better and they are a bunch of good kids so far. They have a good mindset, a good work ethic and it’s looking good for the season.”

Results
Longhorn Classic
Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024
Team — 1. Basalt, 219; 2. Aspen, 228; 3. Fruita Monument, 229; 4. Eagle Valley, 248; 5. Steamboat Springs, 249; 6. Gunnison, 253; 7. Vail Christian, 256; 8. Meeker, 262; 9. Moffat County, 278.
Steamboat Golfers — 18. Jack Fisher, 81; 22. James Cotter, 84; 23. Arran Flam, 84; 26. Alex Johnson, 86; 42. Gabriel Glomboske, 94.