By Kate Smigelski ’15| Staff Writer

Tenley Shield and Lily Pendy, both ’14, have played a lot of great golf over the past four years on the girl’s golf team, and they have grown as both players and friends throughout this season as co-captains.

Shield and Pendy have been on the team since freshman year, Girl’s Golf Coach Michael Rennell said. This season they were made co-captains for the team of 11 girls.

“As a senior, I see the leadership involved with being part of this team, especially as a co-captain,”said Pendy. “Tenley and I try to make sure the girls are being good sports out there.

While being a captain is really fun, part of that is being a good role model, Shield said. As co-captains, Shield and Pendy help work to keep the team in a close friendship, both on and off the course.

“If we didn’t have golf, we wouldn’t really know each other,”said Shield.

Captains are also a lot of help with some of the other players, Rennell said. These girls help instruct the rest of the team if they are struggling with something.

“All I’m expecting to see from my captains for the rest of the season is leadership,” saidRennell. “Their scores have been an even par, and I know they will continue to play great golf.”

Although Shield and Pendy are great players and captains, they do have their own struggles on the course.

“I know that I struggle trying to figure out where to place a ball on a course I haven’t played before,” said Pendy. “And that’s a struggle of the rest of the team too.”

 Shield believes her short game is good, although she has had a little trouble putting lately, she said. Playing shorter courses can also be hard.

“Trying to strategize on a shorter course can be difficult,”said Shield. “I know I don’t need to hit a driver on every hole.”

Both girls have had a great four years on this team, Rennell said. The girls have “lights out” terrific scores.

The captains, along with the rest of the team, have had a pretty good season so far and expect to do well the rest of the season, Rennell said.

“The team has progressed and are getting to the point we need to be at for States in October,”  said Rennell.

The rest of the team has improved a lot, both Shield and Pendy said. The whole team has stepped up this season. The team has great team chemistry that also contributes to their success.

“We like to show South in a positive way,” said Pendy.

 Both captains plan on playing golf in college they said. Shield is looking at Notre Dame, Princeton and the Naval Academy. Pendy is interested in Penn State, Montana State and Eastern Michigan.

“The girls have dropped 3-5 strokes this season, which at their level is hard to do,”  said Rennell.

Being cousins and co-captains is really interesting, Shield said. Golf is a family sport for them. Pendy’ sister, Ella, plays golf at the University of Michigan.

“We are best friends and cousins, so everything we have accomplished together has been really fun and a great experience,”said Shield.

The Girl’s Golf team will be playing through mid-October with their top 5 players going to States October 18-19.