Coming out swinging

With their first golf match coming up soon, Saratoga High School students have been fortunate enough to practice drives and putts with PGA professional Matt Daubner, serving as the team’s new head golf coach.

Daubner, a Michigan native who moved to Saratoga, also serves as the new retail store manager and golf instructor at the Saratoga Resort and Spa. As a long-time golf instructor who enjoys working with all people, Daubner jumped at the chance to work with teenage golfers when their season began last month.

“It came up when Susan Wallace at the resort was interviewing me, and she said I could be the golf coach at the high school as well,” Daubner said. “I had taught for 30 years, which included junior programs and a golf academy in Michigan that I did a lot with, but I had never been a coach before. It would be something new, and I was glad it was part of the package and put out there that they wanted me to coach the kids.”

Daubner plans to serve as coach for both, the spring and fall golf seasons with the team, which also includes students from Encampment High School. During his tenure, he has found the boys and girls on the team to be bright learners with a real passion for golf.

“It’s fun to teach them because they’re so eager to learn, and I feel like I can give some insight into the sport and the knowledge I have,” Daubner said. “It’s definitely a new and fun experience for me. I’m also excited to get out to the matches and introduce myself to other coaches.”

With the team now preparing for their first match in Cheyenne, Daubner has been focusing on teaching all different aspects of golf. As an experienced player, he said golf is not all about driving the ball as far as possible.

“Golf is a process you can’t just learn overnight, and you have to have patience and work hard, as well as build fundamentals and repetition,” Daubner said. “You may hit one good shot, but you don’t win with just a 320-yard drive. For someone to be a very good golfer they have to have a good short game, so I have been spending a lot of time on that with the kids.”

In addition to working on swings and stances each practice, Daubner said it is also important to teach the students good sportsmanship.

“There is a lot of integrity that comes with golf, so when you lose, you still shake your opponent’s hand and congratulate them,” he said. “It’s a real gentlemen’s game, and not one where you can heckle or blow up at your opponent.”

In other youth-related ventures, Daubner plans to work with a Lion’s Club-associated junior golf program in June, and possibly a junior program of his own in July. With the high school students, Daubner said he’ll enjoy watching them grow with skill during his time as coach.

“I’ll have some of these starting kids for the next three or four years, so I’ll get to see them develop and witness the end result of their progress,” Daubner said. “I’ve given so many lessons and helped people over the years, but I haven’t always seen the end result because the people may have moved or only taken a few lessons with me. With the students I’ll get that year after year commitment, and they can really buy into what you’re selling.”

The Saratoga High School golf team plays their first competition at the Cheyenne Invite in Cheyenne, Friday, April 12.