Cougars play some pretty good golf, too
Coach Rob Felton leans back in his chair, and with eyes as big as golf balls, can’t help but shake his head and chuckle at some of his players’ comments.
Like any trio of high-schoolers, though, humor is bound to find its way into many of their conversations.
And a golf chat is certainly not out of bounds for some serious joking around at Bothell High.
When asked about a key element to his performance in Bothell’s 191-201 victory over Inglemoor last week at Wayne Golf Course, senior Cougar Kyle Costa responded with a smile: “Probably my mom’s water bottle — it was new with one of those finger things, that had to be it. I usually play parched, but yesterday I was hydrated. I had harder swing power — and more brain power.”
Costa checked in with a two-over-par 38 against the Vikings, but it was the senior-junior combo of John Pechan and Alex Bandy who topped the leaderboard to earn co-medalist honors with even-par 36s. (For Inglemoor, Mikey Tom had a 37 and Kyle Allar scored 39.)
Pechan, who competed in the state tournament last spring, said that he and Costa keep their teammates on track with both sarcasm and leadership.
“I’ve just kind of learned more about the mental aspect of the game, how to take it one shot at a time,” he said. “I always tell myself to grind it out, find a way to shoot under par — do it.”
Added Felton on Pechan: “He helps a lot of the other guys with their approach — with their swing and gives them a couple words to show them a strategy of play.”
As for Bandy, Felton was impressed with the junior’s short game against Inglemoor and noted that all his hard work in practice has paid off.
Bandy was elated with his performance, as well.
“Everything was working well,” said Bandy, who nearly eagled the eighth hole and notched a birdie. “I’m just getting better over the years. Like when you make a bad shot, you know you can make a better shot next time.”
Pechan feels that Bandy’s consistency off the tee is crucial to his success. In fact, by playing with and watching his buddy Ricky McDonald swing at Harbour Pointe Golf Course in Mukilteo, Pechan has stepped up his accuracy off the tee, too.
Driving strong is one of the aspects Pechan feels the Cougars need to achieve if they want to do well as a team and individually at the Kingco and district tournaments.
“I want to win district, I want to win Kingco,” he said. “We have the potential (to do so). We definitely want to get better, for sure.”
Other top Bothell golfers are Max Pence, Brady Mickelson and Daniel Lee — who round out the Cougars’ top six — and “Preston” Alex Clark, whom Pechan describes as the team’s “heart and soul.”
Felton tabs — who else? — Costa as the team’s resident funny man, but also a solid player.
“I’m kind of relaxed and just focus on playing good,” said Costa. “But I’m not that serious at all. I joke around — that’s me being serious.”
Case and point: Costa’s 20-foot birdie putt on the seventh hole against Inglemoor.
“I was going for birdie — I needed a birdie there,” he said.
How did he celebrate making the big shot?
“Just laughing and messing with the other kids.”
And Felton erupts into some laughter of his own, signifying that all is well with Bothell golf on this day.
