Many golf coaches would break into a cold sweat at the thought of graduating three-fifths of their starting lineup, in a sport where the clutch play that can only be gained through experience can make or break a match. Fortunately for the men's golf team and 13-year Head Coach Jack Arena '85, a remarkable mix of young talent and seasoned veterans will help to mitigate the impact of the departures of First-Team All-NESCAC member Drew Russ '07 and senior co-captains Andrew Bruns '07 and Sean Jules '07.

While Amherst started the 2006 fall campaign with steady improvement, shooting a 645 to open the season at the Bowdoin College Invitational, followed by a 624 at the Duke Nelson Invite, and a 612 at the Williams College Invite, the team had a disappointing sixth-place showing at the NESCAC Championships and a middle-of-the-pack finish at the NEIGA Championships. In the spring, the Jeffs tied for ninth-place at the Flumere Invitational, and were just four strokes behind fifth-place Tufts University. At the Little III Championships, Amherst crushed Wesleyan University, 9.5-2.5, but lost to Williams 8-4, despite a valiant comeback effort in the afternoon singles matches.

"We fell a little short against Williams, but we showed that we could beat them," said Judd Olanoff '08. "If we hadn't dug such a hole in the morning matches, we definitely would have." The team finished the season with a pair of sub-par results at the Williams Co-ed Invitational and the Williams Quad.

Led by senior captain Jesse Corradi, the Jeffs are feeling much more confident about this year's squad; they expect to improve on a handful of mediocre performances from last season, one where they struggled to produce consistent results. The main goal of the team is to have all five starters posting sub-80 scores on a regular basis, a feat that Amherst has had a difficult time accomplishing in the past few seasons. As part of their efforts, the Jeffs have instituted a new set of team-building programs, including post-practice dinners in Valentine Dining Hall. According to Corradi, the Jeffs are "trying to enjoy one of the most frustrating, yet rewarding, sports to play."

While Corradi and Olanoff anchor the team with their experience, juniors Will Collins, Glenn Wong and Chris Valentine will be vital to Amherst's success this year. Valentine competed in every fall event, averaging 162 and shooting an impressive 154 at the Duke Nelson Invite. He finished in 35th-place out of a field of 123 golfers. Both Collins and Wong competed in only two fall events each, where they averaged 164 and 172.5, respectively.

The Jeffs aspire to compete in the NCAA Div. III Championship in the spring. Due to a rule change that goes into effect this year, the top four teams at the fall NESCAC Tournament will play each other in another tournament in the spring, with the winner receiving an automatic bid to the NCAA event. "We should be in the top four in the NESCAC," remarked Olanoff. "Then, we'll look to win the four-team playoff in the spring."