For the Auburn University men's golf team, the new season brings high expectations.
Head coach Nick Clinard said he envisions a bright future for his team.
"We have a great group of players, and we work hard," Clinard said.
"They're good people, and they deserve all the success that's going to be coming to them pretty soon."
In his second year as Auburn's head coach, Clinard has developed a plan for success which embodies Auburn athletics.
"Our goals are consistent," Clinard said. "We want to win, number one, and that's capital W I-N; Number two is that we want to graduate our student athletes; three is that we want to have fun, obviously."
With returning veterans and new players coming onto the roster, Clinard is putting his faith in the hard work and talent of his team.
"They had a successful year this past year, but they're only going to keep getting better, and we're looking forward to the future," Clinard said.
The team spent its summer playing diverse courses, and Clinard said they have improved their game as well as their mental approach to the game.
"We've returned some great work ethics, and I think they're playing better," Clinard said. "Most of the guys have taken the initiative to go out and play in different parts of the country, and I think, mentally, they've gotten better too. I think we're going to have a lot of depth, more so than last year."
Part of the team's new depth lies with Michael Hebert, a sophomore transfer from Florida State.
Hebert comes to Auburn after finishing 18th in the NCAA Championship as the only freshman in the competition and has made quite the impression on Clinard.
"I think he's going to walk in and have a legitimate chance to play and accomplish a lot," Clinard said. "He's proven himself at the collegiate level, and that means he's proven he can play at the highest level."
The integrity Hebert brings to his competition is also important to the coaching staff.
"I think off the golf course he's a great person, and that means more to us than anything," Clinard said.
With established players and capable newcomers filling out the roster,
Clinard and his staff will be challenged with sorting out the top talent.
"The lineup is probably going to shuffle a lot over the year and be the five guys who are the best players at the moment," Clinard said.
For some of Clinard's players the greatest competition may be amongst themselves.
"I think the keys will be hard work and patience, and for us as coaches, we have to find the right mix of players that are going to be able to compete," Clinard said.
The fight for the top five slots will only become more difficult for players as the university finishes work on the team's new indoor facility.
With new grass coming in at the end of the week, the team members will soon be able to improve their skills around-the-clock.
"It's been a total renovation of our short game facility and our driving range, and it's really going to help us with our player development, and it's also going to help us in recruiting as well," Clinard said.
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