After concluding the fall portion of their season, the Sacramento State men’s and women’s golf teams head into winter break reenergizing and preparing for the remaining meets in the spring.

Even though the men’s and women’s teams do not compete again till February, both still hold practices every week.

During the offseason, the men’s team only has three mandatory workouts three days per week.

“The fall was definitely not what we were looking for,” junior Jordan Swanson said. “We have a pretty young team so there is a growing process to take place.”

Swanson said each athlete works with a golf-specific fitness trainer and personal swing coaches to further their development.

“I think a lot of what we need to improve on is our mental approach,” Swanson said. “It’s something we work on a lot. It sounds cliché, but in a sport like golf the mental approach could ultimately be the difference between our team returning to NCAA Regional play this spring or not.”

On top of the three workouts per week off campus, senior Ryan Williams also said the players practice twice per week on their own and play unofficially.

“This is the time of year when you actually get better, through workouts and working on your golf swings,” Williams said. “Golf is like any other sport. There is no real offseason, at least not to those who are trying to play professionally in the future.”

Williams led the Hornets in all but one tournament this fall. In their most recent tournament, the SCVB Pacific Invitational on Oct. 29-31, the Hornets posted the second-best round in school history by shooting 279. Williams tied for 13th after shooting 70 in the first round and 68 in the second.

The women’s team is coming off their most recent tournament Oct. 30-31 at the Rainbow Wahine Invitational in Wahiawa, Hawaii. Junior Lisa Persson finished 32nd and first for the Hornets after scoring 75 in the first and second rounds and 81 in the third. The Hornets finished ninth at the tournament.

The offseason tuning in place will prepare the Sacramento State golfers to close out their season strong. If anything, it will allow them to reassess what they need to work and plan to execute it.

“We need to be more efficient next semester as we work toward conference,” Williams said. “I am confident we will do some great things.”

The Hornets’ men’s and women’s teams resume their season Feb. 17-19 at the Folino Invitational at the Industry Hills Golf Course in the City of Industry, Calif.

James Heck can be reached at [email protected].