FLORENCE — With four seniors on the team last year, Chris Couch definitely was just counted on for his performance on the course.
He doesn’t have that luxury this season.
With only one other senior on the Francis Marion golf team, Couch will be counted on for his performance on and off the course, including helping with the four new faces in the program.
“I’m fine with it. You kind of just wait your turn,” the former Stratford product said. “Last year, I went from being the youngest guy on the team to being the oldest now. Now Matt Jackson and I are the leaders.”
Couch will get his first test to prove it when the Patriots begin their fall schedule by hosting the Springhill Suites Intercollegiate today and Tuesday at the Country Club of South Carolina.
And Couch is well-rested and eager to get the season started. Because of work and taking a summer class, he didn’t have much time to play in many events.
Couch played in only two tournaments, but spent a lot of time working on his game on the practice range.
FMU coach Mark Gaynor believes that not playing in many tournaments will have a positive effect on Couch.
“He is primed and ready to go,” Gaynor said. “Chris has been a steady player and has only had one bad semester since he got here. He has high expectations for himself this year and we are hoping for big things from him.”
Couch led FMU in stroke average last year at 74.52. His best finish was eighth in two different tournaments.
But he is hoping for even more this year and hopes to win at least one tournament. Couch also has aspirations of trying to make a run professionally when his playing days at FMU are done.
“I want to least say I tried,” Couch said. “But it is expensive and I hope I can get some people to help me out a bit. But I got play well first and go from there.”
The Springhill Suites Intercollegiate is the first of five fall events the Patriots will play in. This year’s field includes Appalachian State, College of Charleston, Charleston Southern, Davidson College, Elon, Furman, George Mason, Georgia College & State, James Madison, Presbyterian College, Radford, Samford, USC Aiken, USC Upstate, Western Carolina, and defending tournament champion Georgia Southern.
“This is a fantastic field,” Gaynor said. “And Spring Hill Suites and CCSC have done a great job helping make this tournament a landmark event for our program.”
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