FRUITPORT – The Fruitport girls golf team has doubled the size of its roster this season, and that’s a big step forward for the program.

Last year the Trojans competed with only four golfers, which is one below the number needed to fill out a full lineup.

“We’ll have eight girls this year,” said head coach Brenda Hansen. “I’m extremely excited because last year I only had one or two girls who were able to compete on some of the dates.”

The best news for the Trojans headed into the new season is the return of senior Mylee Mineni, who had a breakthrough year in 2023.

She set a new Fruitport girls 18-hole record with a score of 82 at the Rocket Invitational at Lincoln Golf Course. Her 38 score in the first half of the tournament also set a nine-hole school record.

Mineni also made headlines by sinking a hole-in-one at the Greater Muskegon Athletic Association City Tournament.

She also played very well at regionals, coming only three shots away from qualifying for the Division 2 state finals.

The most amazing part is that Mineni never played golf before high school and has become a skilled player in three short seasons.

“I think it’s made her extra hungry,” Coach Hansen said about the success that Mineni had last season. “Since it’s her senior year and her last chance to qualify for state, she’s worked really hard to keep improving.”

Mineni has benefitted from big growth in her mental approach to the game, according to Hansen.

“I think the last couple of years she’s worked on that mental aspect,” the coach said. “Just today in practice, she was sharing with the other girls that you have to be mentally strong, and you’ll have moments after a bad shot, but you have to move past it.”

Another returning Trojan golfer this season is junior Tatum Anderson, who will be taking part in her second season.

After Mineni and Anderson, the experience level drops off considerably.

New to the team will be senior McKenzie Beardsley, senior Lainey Bol, senior Kenzie Pate, junior Ava Powell, junior Kendall Lee and freshman Maddie Anderson.

Hansen has enjoyed having all of the new faces on the golf course, despite their lack of experience.

“They’re really excited about coming out and learning a new sport,” Hansen said. “They’re a hoot to be around because they’re so silly. But when it’s time for business, they’re ready to work on all aspects of the game.”

The Trojans are scheduled to open their season on Friday when they host the Fruitport Invitational at Oak Ridge Golf Club, but the forecast is not promising at this point.

“I’m not sure if we’ll compete because of the weather,” Hansen said. “But I’m also looking forward to the Whitehall Invite (Aug.t 28) to see how our girls do with an 18-hole event.”

When the season ends, Hansen believes one measure of success for her players will be the number of putts they have to attempt.

“It would probably be a success if the girls continue to work on all their skills and focus on lowering the number of putts,” the coach said. “Fewer putts will mean lower scores. So we’ve been working hard on putting. and if the girls average one-to-two putts per hole, that would be a really successful season.”

More than anything, Hansen believes her team is destined to have an enjoyable season with a much bigger roster.

“I think these girls will have a good time on the course,” she said. “We’re all excited about the challenges and adventures.”