With four of their top golfers being underclassmen, the New Hartford boys golf team is one of the youngest in the section. Following back-to-back Section III championships in 2022 and 2023, the Spartans came up short in sectionals last year.
Led by freshman Tommy Goodelle and sophomore JP Lazzaro, the golf team looks to go back on top in the section.
“As a team I know we are focused on having an undefeated season and to take back the sectional title,” Coach Snizek told me.
Also among the top Spartan golfers are seniors Jake Rockford and Jack Pietryka, junior Rocco Mastrovito-Smith, sophomore Graham Jenkins, and freshman Charlie “Chuck” Beaton.
When asked if this young squad makes coaching any different, Coach Snizek said, “I have not changed my coaching style because it is a younger group. Golf is a sport where the challenges remain more mental than physical. Yes, they play different courses, but it is how the individual prepares mentally from match to match that signifies their readiness.”
For the first time in a while, the boys golf team is playing their home matches at nearby Yahnundasis Golf Club in New Hartford. In previous years, the Skenandoa Golf Club in Clinton was their home course.
“Overall I think the transition to Yahnundasis made it easier for the team,” JP Lazzaro, who has been on the Varsity team since 7th grade, said. “The course is much closer to us and it’s more of a place we can call our home turf… With Yahnundasis being a country club, that also comes with more limited access for practice compared to Skenandoah, since they prioritize their members. At Sken that wasn’t so much of a problem; we could really go up and play whenever we wanted.”
“Playing at the Yahnundasis is a unique experience and it truly helps prepare us for each match by allowing us to use the practice range, green, and putting greens,” Coach Snizek added. “We surely hold a home course advantage as the club is private and no other schools have access to it. The team has learned the nuances and uniqueness on how to play the course efficiently.”
Tommy Goodelle, who is in his third year on Varsity, qualified to participate in the Drive, Chip, and Putt National Finals, which is a skills competition with 7-15 year olds split into different age groups. The competition has been held annually since 2014 on the Sunday before the famous Masters Tournament (April 6 this year) at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia.
Tommy competed in the 14-15 age bracket and represented the Northeast Region. Going up against nine of the top youth golfers in the country, Tommy tied for second place! He finished fifth in the driving portion, first in chipping, and second in putting.
“The experience was very cool,” Tommy said. “Everything was perfect there and it was an honor to be at Augusta.”
Following a home win over RFA on May 5, the Spartans improved to 7-0 on the season. Coach Snizek is nearing 250 wins for his career, and the Spartans will continue to vie for that Section III championship.
