Entering the tail-end of a tough season, the Lady Wildcat golfers have learned many lessons and are planning to make the most of what remains in the 2017 season.

Following several losses, the team is currently 0-4 overall in the Oxford Activities Association.

“Oakland County is loaded with some amazing girls and courses. We’ve faced some very tough competition this season,” said Head Coach Gretchen Gabler.

Despite their overall score, Gabler said the Wildcat girls golf program is still bigger and better than ever– following the addition of 11 new members at the start of the season on Aug. 9.

“I am so excited about our team this year! We have a total of 19 girls between the junior varsity and varsity squads,” said Gabler. We are, as a team, so pleased at how the team is growing.”

The varsity golfing squad includes seniors Lauren Yankee and Abby Smiles; junior Captain Caity Hopman; sophomores Sam Malinich and Elizabeth Grabowski; and freshman Kate Dietikier.

This is the second season the Wildcats golf team has called the Metamora Golf and Country Club “home.”

The course offers 18 holes, with numerous water hazards and sand bunkers– providing a testing environment in which the Cats can perfect their stroke and keep their skills up to par.

“(Our home course) has given our team a lot of strength. It is a challenging course with amazing practice areas. It has pushed us to get stronger and play smarter,” said Gabler.

Yankee, a senior captain for the team, was named by Gabler to be one of the leading golfers on the team.

With impressive form, Yankee tied for sixth in the county with a score of 86 during the Oakland County Division 2 tournament on Aug. 30 and now she hopes to keep that forward momentum going.

“She has been working on her game since our season ended last year because she missed qualifying for states by one stroke and does not want that to happen again. She has led the team at every tournament and dual. She is a wonderful captain leading the team in Oxford’s philosophy of personal responsibility,” Gabler said.

With hard work and practice, Gabler said the team is aiming to keep upping their game and continue an upward trajectory.

“As the head coach of Oxford Girls Golf my goals for the team are simple. We strive to get better every day while maintaining our scholarly efforts,” Gabler added.

The team is scheduled to face Athens in its final dual of the season October 3.

MHSAA regionals will be held on October 11 at Farmington Hills Golf Club (37777 11 Mile Rd., Farmington Hills) at 9 a.m.