Highland girls golfers making name for themselves with sustained success

LEWISTOWN, Mo. — In less than two full seasons, the Highland girls golf program has put itself on the map.

In 2023 — Highland’s first year fielding a girls golf team as a varsity program — the Cougars finished third out of 11 teams at the Class 1 District 3 Tournament and sent three golfers to the state tournament at Sedalia Country Club. Morgan Crist posted a then-personal best 83 in the second round to finish third out of 95 players, while Ali Reed tied for 33rd and Josie Murphy tied for 70th.

“It’s pretty cool making a name for ourselves,” said Crist, the Cougars’ No. 1 golfer again this season. “Especially since last year was our first with girls golf, it’s been really exciting. People have not expected us to come out here and shoot as well as we have. It’s just exciting.”

The Cougars have followed up their debut season with a strong run of play this fall. On Sept. 17, the Cougars shot a 352 to win the 18-team Westran Invitational at Heritage Hills Golf Course by 47 strokes over second-place Hallsville, the only other team to break 400.

“To be a Class 1 school and have four girls who are capable of shooting in the 80s or 90s, that’s what’s different about us compared to similar sized schools,” Cougars coach Joe Hattey said.

Crist fired a 75 that day, her first ever round in the 70s.

“I did know I was shooting really well, but I didn’t think I was going to shoot a 75, that’s for sure,” Crist said. “I was definitely very shocked. I was like, ‘No way I just shot in the 70s!’”

At that same tournament, freshman Ava Hudson shot her lowest ever score with an 87. Hudson has catapulted up to the Cougars’ No. 2 player after having never played golf competitively before this season.

“I was on the golf course like every day this summer,” Hudson said.

And when Hudson wasn’t on the golf course, she found other ways to sharpen her game.

“The first time I picked up a golf club was in my yard,” Hudson said. “We have a cornfield in between mine and my neighbor’s yard. They’re our cousins, and they’re big into golf, too. We would just play in the backyard, and our garage is really big, so we have a net in there, so even if we weren’t on the course, we were still able to have something golf-related to do.”

Hattey wasn’t sure what to expect when Hudson showed up the first day of practice, but he was pleasantly surprised when he saw how naturally Hudson, who also plays travel softball, swung the club.

“She has a really nice, smooth swing with good lines and good attack angles, and I was like, ‘Well, this is going to be OK. I hope she can chip and putt a little bit,’ and lo and behold, yeah, she could putt a little bit, too,” Hattey said. “She started out as our No. 4 and has just improved by leaps and bounds. It’s been great to see.”

Crist’s golf experience dates back to junior high when she began taking lessons at Christensen Golf Academy in Quincy.

“I don’t want to brag, but as a first-time golfer, I kind of had a natural swing,” Crist said. “As the years have gone, I’ve been going to XCEL and doing their weightlifting program, and I’ve gotten stronger, so I’ve been able to hit it farther and farther each year.”

Crist, now a junior, estimates she has added 30 yards off the tee since her freshman year.

“I do a lot of core strength, a lot of hip mobilities. I do a lot of rotation things to make my shoulders stronger,” Crist said. “You need to be mobile and very flexible as a golfer, and then you need the strength to swing your club around and hit that ball farther.”

Hattey said he has noticed a difference in Crist’s mindset on the course, especially when her game isn’t firing on all cylinders.

“Last year, it wouldn’t take much at all to get her to lose focus a little bit, but this year, she’s gaining maturity, and it shows,” Hattey said.

Crist, Hudson and the Cougars — Murphy, Natalie Bowen and Savannah Bowen round out the top five — showed their mettle against several larger schools Sept. 26 at the Troy Invitational. As the only Class 1 program in the 18-team field at Woods Fort Golf Club, Highland finished fifth, and Crist finished 14th out of 88 players.

“When we were invited to this tournament last year, I was kind of like, ‘Well, I don’t even know if we really want to get in on that.’ Then I’m thinking, ‘Well, I would really like for these girls to be around these bigger schools,’” Hattey said. “And when we look at the scores at the end of the day, hopefully we’re going to be in the middle somewhere and be like, ‘You girls belong here.’ 

“When you can come and compete at an event like this, it helps the girls’ confidence. They know, ‘Yeah, we can hit a little bit.’”

The Cougars’ top-five finish at the Troy Invitational and their win at the Westran Invitational — as well as the fact that the Class 1 District 3 Tournament on Oct. 9 will take place at the familiar Heritage Hills — give Hattey a great deal of confidence that his team can continue to make waves in the postseason.

“I’ve got some pretty high expectations for these girls,” Hattey said. “I’m very optimistic.”