Before every round, Sara Detlefsen receives some sound motherly advice.
"She says, 'You know, I don't want to see you on the other parts of the golf course,'" Sara explained, citing the rough, woods and sand as displeasing destinations.
Mom makes it out to just about every round. To prevent her from stressing out too much, Sara tries to keep her game simple and consistent -- fairways, greens and putts. The golf world gushed over Bubba Watson's miraculous shot at the second playoff hole at the Masters. That's not Detlefsen's style.
"I try to keep it pretty boring," said Sara, who will play Division-I golf at Florida Gulf Coast next year. "I try to keep it low stress for my mom as much as I can."
She's done exactly that this spring, for both her mother and Eastview High School. But for anyone following the Lightning this season and through the section tournament, there are many other descriptors that would be deemed more appropriate than boring: deep, consistent, experienced, blossoming, stellar, dominant.
The team's success is often highlighted by Detlefsen, who is consistently ranked among the top five girls' high school golfers in the state. But the true difference maker is head coach Bob Boldus' depth. Four scorecards are counted on at the end of the day. The team can't just register Detlefsen's numbers and win a tournament.
No problem.
Maddy Paulson has taken the No. 2 slot with authority. She has, on average, dropped a remarkable 12 strokes per round since last season, giving the Lightning two players shooting consistently in the 70s. Paulson has improved her short game the most while spending tireless hours on the course, range and greens.
