The Miners girl’s 2025 golf season ended in heartbreak when the team finished in sixth place at the state tournament that year.
Park City made sure to dwell on that disappointment last May as they watched state champion Crimson Cliffs revel in their win. The Miners wanted to use that moment to fuel the 2026 season.
Halfway through this regular season, it appears Park City’s tactics paid off. The Miners have won two of their four matches.
Head coach George Murphy believes his team can continue to improve during the back half of the regular season.
“They’re in a good place,” Murphy said. “They know they can play better.”
Murphy said the first few weeks of the girl’s season are often the most difficult; it’s hard to get lots of valuable reps in during the winter in Park City. The Miners are making the most of the unseasonably warm temperatures, already practicing outdoors in town.
“We practiced at Park City Golf Club like three or four times already in March, which is pretty insane,” Murphy said. “We’ve never practiced in March (in Park City). It’s always been after spring break.”
Murphy believes his team’s biggest gains in the back half of the regular season will be with their short game. He said that’s often the last part of a golfer’s game to round into form.
Freshman Ella Henderson has led the Miners thus far, averaging 72.8. Sophomore Maddie Hadar is the seventh-ranked golfer in Region 10, averaging 84.8. Park City’s top four golfers, also including senior Chloe Aldous and junior Riley Hastings are ranked top 12 in the region.
“Those four right there have really proven that they are a solid core,” Murphy said. “We have got 10 girls that have played some varsity tournaments so far this year, and they’re pushing each other and working on getting better.”
He continued, “We’ll keep at it and stay positive about how these girls are starting out this spring.”
Murphy said his team is constantly seeking out extra practice time, which he loves. He wants their time on the team to be a fun, positive experience.
“I saw the work ethic and passion for it before we started this year, more so than any other year,” Murphy said. “Girls were coming into the simulator and putting time in in January and February. … I love the passion and the drive.”
The Miners’ next outing will be Wednesday at River Oaks.
Park City’s stiffest regional competitor is Juan Diego, who has won the other two matches of the season. Murphy is happy to have another team challenging them as the season wears on.
Murphy thought the 2025 team cruising through regional play wasn’t great for their postseason results. He also thought he should have taken them to play at the state course more often throughout the season.
The 4A state tournament will be held at Glendale Golf Course in Salt Lake City in early May. The Miners finished five shots behind Juan Diego in the March 16 match there, gaining invaluable course knowledge.
“A lot of these girls have the potential to shoot some low scores,” Murphy said. “We did a practice round at Glendale the other day, and Maddie shot 38 or 39 and beat Ella Henderson by a stroke that day. But, Ella was like, ‘I love that.’ They push each other.”
He continued, saying “Having that many come back that have been on the state team is huge. … We’ll see how it shakes out. It’s going to be pretty competitive on our own team for those six state spots.”
Park City was off to practice at River Oaks Monday to prepare for Wednesday’s match. Murphy said the course is a bit tight and requires sharp decision-making.
The Miners will host their home match April 23.