If it seems a little unbelievable, that’s because it is. And yet, the Bellarmine Girls Golf team continues to win. This year, the team went a perfect 9-0 in league play, and capped off their third straight undefeated season by tying Curtis for the league championship.

The Girls Golf program at Bellarmine has been strong ever since senior captain Payton Anderson arrived as a freshman in 2019. She’s played every match for four years, and has emerged as the leader of this year’s team, being the only senior on the squad.

When asked what makes the team special, Anderson simply replied that “the competitive spirit we have,” is their best quality. For Anderson, the best moment of the season was her senior night, when the girls on the team showered her with their love, support, and appreciation.

Besides that, Anderson  also had some remarkable highlights on the course, headlined by her 2nd-place finish overall in the league tournament, in which she shot just two below par on the 18-hole course. Anderson emphasizes the mental aspect of the game, stating that golf is “90 percent mental, 10 percent physical.” That may seem like a far-fetched statement, but she went on to explain that “you have to believe in yourself to play well…confidence is key.”

Juniors Emilia Sherman and Sophia Terry would agree. “It’s a mental sport,” says Sherman. If they are having a bad day, the girls know to get in the mindset of ‘hit the shot, and after that just keep playing.’ Some of the girls, including Terry, even subscribe to a method of calming themselves that includes listening to Adele for motivation.

Besides winning all their matches, the Lady Lions Golf Team finds lots of ways to have fun off the course. Terry and fellow junior Katie Vaughan both spoke very highly of the team’s snack schedule, which provides them with a fun way to energize themselves before a tournament. Team bus rides also have been fun bonding moments for the girls. “I love that everybody on our team is kinda a family in a way,” said Sherman. And it’s not just their team; for Terry; a huge joy in the came comes from meeting all of the girls from the opposing schools and making new friends along the way.

Unfortunately, despite their undefeated record, Bellarmine was only able to tie for the league championship. This came despite having three golfers finish in the top 10 in the league tournament with Katie Vaughan (‘24) and Rutendo Guzha (‘25) joining Anderson in 5th and 6th place respectively.

“We’re all disappointed,” says Vaughan, “but we know we’re gonna get them in districts…we really wanna win.” Besides her 6th place finish in leagues, Vaughan also medaled in the first match of the season and has been a big reason for Bellarmine’s success this year. She too credits her success to the mental side of the game, saying it’s important to “try to forget about the stress, (and) think happy thoughts.”

For Bellarmine, the district tournament won’t come until May, but the girls will be ready for when it does. They will be continuing to practice on their own time throughout the winter, and both Anderson and Vaughan plan to compete in non-league tournaments to stay fresh.

It was another fantastic season for the Lions, who can proudly continue their run of dominance in Girls Golf.