The snow has melted, the sun is shining and the days are long again. ESPN has been publicizing its first- and second-round coverage of the Masters for what seems like forever. Golf season is here, and the women of Amherst’s varsity golf team, fresh off of a trip to Jekyll Island, Ga., are ready to compete on the back nine of their 2007-08 season.

The fall showed promise, most notably with the addition of first-year Hayley Milbourn to the squad. Readers remember that first tournament at Dartmouth where she shot a below par first-round en route to the individual crown—a high standard, but one that she plans to uphold.

Finishing the fall season ranked 14th by the National Golf Coaches Association (NGCA), the Amherst squad improved with each tournament and looks to preserve that trajectory toward the national tournament that will be held at the end of the spring.

The women’s golf team spent Spring Break on sunny Jekyll Island, where they enjoyed the weather in the beginning of the break and then turned up the heat towards the end of the week at the Jekyll Island Invitational at Indian Mounds Golf Course.

With 26 schools competing from all over the nation, it was a veritable “Who’s who?” of the NGCA top 25. Second only to the nationals in size, the tournament provides a great opportunity to get a look at teams around the country.

Senior captain Ali Berman spoke about the return to tournament play. “Friday and Saturday went pretty well with an 11-stroke improvement as a team between the two days,” she said. “Sunday’s round was a bit of a struggle. We played a shot gun, where instead of having tee times all starting on the first or 10th hole, they teed off everyone at the same time on different holes. Added to that, there were two foursomes going off on each hole, which made for an extremely long and slow round. “We played for six-and-a-half hours, and on top of that, in 30 mph winds.”

Amherst ended up finishing 11th over all, higher than their fall ranking but below the Williams College team, which came in seventh. Despite being bested by the Ephs, Amherst was positive about the trip to Georgia. “We had a great experience,” said Berman, “a great week with a lot of golf, and it got us pumped for our upcoming season.”

The Jeffs have ample time to perfect their strokes, as they do not play again until April 12 at Vassar College.