Craig Daily Press

Craig — Endless practices inside East Elementary School preceded the Moffat County High School girls golf season, heading into its first two rounds in Montrose on Monday and Tuesday.

They spoke last week about escaping the cold climate in Craig, eager to get on a course void of the snow that covers the team’s home course.

But in Montrose on Monday, the team found much to be the same as it is at home.

“It was different,” coach Anne Marie Roberts said. “Hitting on grass the first time — it doesn’t seem like it is, but it’s different. It takes some time.”

The time spent on the Cobble Creek course Monday resulted in a team total score of 323, and time on the Bridges course Tuesday resulted in the same team score.

The Bulldog placed fifth Monday and sixth Tuesday.

“Monday was cold, windy and it snowed some,” senior Megan Innes said. “It was our first time on grass so it was different. Different than hitting off this,” she said, pointing toward the East Elementary School gymnasium floor.

“It was nice, though, to get some practice in.”

Innes carded an 87 on Monday and a 90 on Tuesday to lead the MCHS charge.

Sophomore Heather Nicholson shot a 99 and a 114. Freshman Callie Papoulas scored a 137 and a 119.

“My first day could have been better,” Papoulas said about her first round of tournament golf. “I was pretty nervous and everything. But the second day it got better. I was less nervous, and I hit the ball better.”

Nicholson said she would like to take back the “four or five holes I scored a 10 on,” but she said she came away happy spending time on the course regardless of her score.

“The first day at Cobble Creek I had some really good putts,” she said. “But I found out I need to work on my consistency a lot more.”

Roberts said she was pleased with the performance of the team, considering it hasn’t had what she calls “good golfing weather.”

“It wasn’t too bad,” she said. “I mean for spending the last two weeks in the gym, it wasn’t horrible.

“It was cold, it snowed a little bit, but it’s all right. It’s going to happen.”

Roberts said Tuesday was better condition-wise, but the course was tougher.

“There was water on like 14 of the holes,” she said. “It was a tougher course, but we shot the same score.

“I’m happy with where we are right now.”