High school golfers use the off season to work on their games, and if they can pick up a few tourney wins so much the better.

Aberdeen’s Finn Anderson was able to accomplish both on Tuesday during the South Dakota Golf Association Junior Tour event at Lee Park Golf Course.

Anderson said his goal this summer is to “just win a couple of tournaments I’d say, like these ones I’m playing in right now, and then when it comes to school golf, just to (help the team improve) and see if we can’t go out and play good, and have a good season there.”

The upcoming sophomore at Roncalli won the boys’ 14-15 division with a round of 73.

He said one of his main goals is to play more consistent.

“I have not been playing as consistent as I want to, still working on it,” Anderson said. “I’ve got a lot of time to work.”

Events like the Junior Tour allow Anderson a chance to play in a competitive environment leading up to the Class A boys’ season in the fall.

He tries to use the summer months to “just really get used to tournament play before the season, just try to use the time, because you just have a bunch of open times to practice.”

While being on top of the leaderboard is always nice, he said the main goal is to play well.

“It’s always good to win,” Anderson said, “but you’re just trying to go out and play good golf I guess, have fun.”

DOHRER NAVIGATING BUSY SUMMER

Emma Dohrer of Aberdeen does not have a lot of down time during the summer, although technically it’s the only time she is not involved in a sanctioned sport.

Dohrer is a key member of the Central volleyball, basketball and golf squads during the school year. She uses the summer months to work on all three.

“I go to basketball in the morning, I have to come out and practice golf at night, and practice some volleyball reps, too,” Dohrer said. “You just have to try to fit them all in and still have some free time to have fun.”

Dohrer said some characteristics like touch, transfer over from sport to sport.

However, she says the conditioning aspect is much different.

“Basketball shape is a lot different than golf shape,” Dohrer said. “Volleyball shape is a lot different than basketball shape.”

So what is her favorite sport to participate in?

“I think it’s just whatever season I’m in is my favorite,” Dohrer said.

Dohrer plans on working on her golf game this summer through events like the Junior Tour.

“Whatever is going bad, you might work on that,” she said, “but you have to keep working all the time, keep practicing all the time, to just get better as a player.”

When asked when it was time to start focusing on her fall sport, Dohrer responded, “Probably around the beginning of August …. hey, it’s volleyball season now. In summer it’s golf season.”

HEIL WORKING ON SPECIFIC GOALS

Mobridge’s Claire Heil is spending her summer on golf courses with a pair of goals in mind.

“I hope to just lower my score through the season,” Heil said, “and then hopefully get better at chipping.”

The soon to be sophomore does not compete in any other sport but golf. She enjoys it because it’s always a challenge.

“It’s just really fun,” Heil said. “You always want to keep playing it, because you’re never satisfied.

Heil’s sister, Faith, competes in a variety of sports like cross country, basketball, and track and field.

Heil said she hasn’t had a strong desire to try out those sports, despite a request from her sister.

“I just have never done them,” Heil said. “She’s trying to get me to do cross country this year, so we’ll see.”

So how about talking her sister into taking up golf?

“No, she likes track,” Heil said with a laugh. “She’s not going to golf.”

To see Tuesday’s complete results, click on the following link:

https://www.sdga.org/golf_event/northeast-lee-park-gc-aberdeen-5