The Lady Jaguars’ golfteam will be playing at locationsboth new and old andfacing some familiar foes inthe upcoming season.

The team is scheduled toplay in four tournaments duringthe fall season, beginningwith the Dale McNamara Invitationalin Tulsa, Okla., onSept. 17.
“We haven’t played inTulsa’s event, which lookslike a good field,” AugustaState coach Kory Thompsonsaid. “It should be a goodchance to see where we willbe stacking up this season.”

Thompson made it clearthat getting ready for a golfseason isn’t the same as preparingfor a baseball or basketballseason. Golf teamsface off against various squadsdepending on the tournamentfield, so the competition is alwayschanging.

Senior Marit Bjerke expressedexcitement over thisyear’s slate of events. She saidit is one that sets the team upfor success, though the LadyJags do have two tournamentsback-to-back with one day of classes before they hit theroad again.

Another senior, NatalieWille, said she was enthusiasticabout the new locales onthe team’s schedule.

“I’m excited; it’s going tobe a lot of new courses that Ihaven’t played before,” Willesaid. “New challenges are alwaysgood.

The members of the teamhave been practicing duringthe offseason, both individuallyand as a team, to prepare forthe season, Thompson said.The coach said a few playerscompeted in tournaments backin their hometowns duringthe summer to stay ready forwhatever this season’s schedulemay hold.

During the spring semester,the Lady Jags will participatein five more tournaments.Highlighting this portion ofthe schedule will be the team’shome event, the InsperityLady Jaguar Intercollegiate atForest Hills Golf Club March15-17.

Thompson said there willbe a deep field of teams atthis season’s Intercollegiate.Vanderbilt, Texas, Kentuckyand Purdue, all of which participatedin the 2012 tournament,will be returning to Augusta,Ga., next spring.

“That (tournament) is goingbe one of the better onesfor us,” Thompson said. “(It isalso) more exciting seeing asit is on our home (course).”

The team will also be revisitingsome other coursesthis season. Wille said she isexcited about returning to Sorrento,Fla., for the UCF Challenge.The Lady Jags finishedin ninth place in that event thisFebruary. Wille has playedin the tournament in each ofher seasons at Augusta Stateand said she feels comfortablethere. She finished secondamong the Lady Jags inSorrento last season and saidshe is hoping to have anotherstrong showing there again in2013.

The Lady Jaguars, whoearned a spot in the NCAARegionals in the spring andreturn six players from lastyear’s roster appear ready totackle the task of a challengingarray of venues, Thompsonsaid.