Twenty hours per week is the limit for practice, according to the NCAA for Division I women’s golf. But many of the women on Sacramento State’s women’s golf team said they practice on their own far more than that. Sac State’s senior Margaux Sheehan said she practices four to five days during the week for about five to six hours and is expected to, on weekends as well.

She said she practices either with the team or on her free time. “It does not matter what the conditions are, we are practicing. If it is pouring rain outside and everyone else is inside, we’re out here practicing,” Sheehan said.

Most of the women on the women’s golf team work at golf clubs on weekends.

With golf and work consuming several hours of the day, the players work out time to fit in classes. They take all of their classes before noon, so they can use the rest of the sunlight to practice.

Junior Emily Longcrier said when she gets out of class, she hits the course. When she hits rush-hour traffic on the way home, schoolwork still lingers on her mind, but not for long.

“Then I just don’t feel like doing any homework at all,” Longcrier said.

Even though this may seem very strenuous, the women stay enthusiastic about playing every day and still love the game of golf.

“Golf is like my job, and I hope to be playing golf after I graduate. It’s the life,” said junior Heather LeMaster.

On March 12 through 14, the women’s golf team won its first ever Division I tournament, the Bobcat Desert Classic, which took place at Goodyear, Ariz.

Six out of the eight Big Sky Conference teams were attending the tournament, and the only team to finish within forty strokes of Sac State was Northern Arizona.

The team will be flying back to Goodyear on April 16 for the Big Sky Conference Championship, and is seeking to win its first ever Big Sky Championship.

Director of Golf and coach of the women’s golf team Adam Pohll said that there is no question that winning this tournament gives the team an advantage in the Big Sky Championship. “Our confidence level is really high right now. We think we’re the best team, and no question, we think were going to win,” Pohll said.

Senior Jennifer Parkes said she was here before coach Pohll got to Sac State three years ago and it was different around here. She said since Pohll has been here there has been an amazing turnaround in the program.

“We are becoming very competitive and successful.” she said. “Compared to my freshman year, it is not even close.” Sean Wolf can be reached at [email protected]