In golf, a common request for the average duffer is to ask to take a mulligan, or a second chance at a shot.
The Michigan men's golf team looks to take a second chance this season, as they try to advance into the golfing elite with nine out of ten of their main tournament players returning.
This situation is similar to last year, as the Wolverines returned nine of 10 players from the team that earned a 12th-place regional finish in 1994-95.
However, Michigan never got on track last season, with its highest regular-season tournament finish being a fifth-place showing at the Florida Atlantic/PGA Invitational tournament last October in Palm Beach, Fla.
"I thought we would have a very good team last year, so our season was somewhat disappointing," Michigan coach Jim Carras said. "With nine out of 10 players returning, our expectations were significantly higher."
However, there was a silver lining at the Big Ten tournament last spring, when Michigan tied for fourth place and narrowly missed the central regional tournament. This finale has lent optimism for the 1996-97 season.
"With nine out of 10 players once again returning, we should be very competitive this season," Carras said.
Two luminaries returning to the links are junior Keith Hinton and redshirt freshman Michael Harris, who competed in the U.S. Amateur in August.
Other Wolverines returning to the team this season include seniors Adam Anderson, Kyle Dobbs, Justin Hicks, Brent Idalski and Dave Jasper, along with junior Isaac Hinkle and sophomore Mike Emanuel.
Chris Brockway, the only player to exhaust his eligibility last season, is still around as the undergraduate assistant coach.
Even with the talent that has accumulated in Ann Arbor the past few seasons, the Wolverines have their work cut out for them in the Big Ten.
A big challenge is sure to come from Ohio State, a national power that has been the home of golfing greats such as Jack Nicklaus. The Buckeyes, who won the Big Ten title a year ago, look to improve on last season, when they came within one stroke of the NCAA finals.
Also sitting near the top of the Big Ten is Indiana, the only team in the conference to make it to the NCAA finals. The Hoosiers also return Big Ten Player of The Year Randy Leen. Minnesota, 12th place in the central regional last year, boasts individual regional champion Rob Kerr. Northwestern, which finished 13th in regionals, also looks to stake its claim to the Big Ten title.
Michigan gets an early indicator of where it stands this weekend at the Falcon-Cross Creek Invitational Tournament in Colorado Springs, Colo. The 24-team tournament, hosted by the Air Force Academy, was won last year by Rice, who returns to defend its title.
California, which lost to Rice last year in a tiebreaker, returns from a season in which the Golden Bears finished 50th in the nation. Nebraska and Iowa State, Central regional qualifiers last year, will also join the fray in Colorado Springs.
However, of more relevance to the Wolverines, conference rivals Illinois and Purdue will also be in tourney, giving Michigan an early indication of its place in the Big Ten hierarchy.
The Wolverines received good karma during their last trip to Colorado Springs two years ago, when they finished third and Brockway came away with the individual title.
FILE PHOTO/Daily
The Michigan men's golf team returns nine of its 10 members for the second year in a row. This time, Wolverine coach Jim Carras hopes that the Wolverines' experience will result in more victories.