WEST JORDAN — Casey Gabaldon and Amanda Bennett serve as captains for the Copper Hills golf team and, oh, are these girls fun.
Currently the Grizzlies are ranked No. 1 in Region 3, and Gabaldon is the No. 1 player on Copper Hills. Bennett drifts between the second and third on the team. Besides being good golfers, these girls are having a blast participating in the first year of UHSAA-sanctioned girls golf, which Copper Hills coach Mike Booth says is "long overdue."
Booth said Gabaldon's strength is her ability to focus, and she really likes to practice. Bennett, he added, is a real competitor.
Here's a conversation the Deseret News recently had with the two golfers:
Deseret News: As captains, how do you lead your team?
Gabaldon: We try to be leaders.
DN: Amanda, your coach says that as a senior you are the "Grandma" on this team.
Bennett: Grandma!? Mama Goose sounds a lot better.
DN: OK. What do you do as the Mama Goose?
Bennett: I am new at this. It's hard to be the Mama Goose.
DN: Why's that?
Bennett: They don't listen to me.
DN: They don't listen to you?
Bennett: Look, in high school there's all these little groups like the basketball players ...
DN: So you don't relate to the basketball players?
Bennett: I played basketball back in the day.
DN: Back in the day? That must have been a long, long time ago. When was it?
Bennett: Ninth grade.
DN: Casey, who taught you to golf?
Gabaldon: My dad. My whole family golfs. My 19-year-old brother and my mom, we used to all go together.
DN: You don't go together anymore?
Gabaldon: My mother hates to go now because I can beat her.
DN: So what has your dad taught you?
Gabaldon: He fixes my drives to make them straighter.
DN: Oh yeah? How does he do that?
Gabaldon: He doesn't rush me or criticize me.
DN: Sounds like a good dad.
Gabaldon: He is. He encourages me to do my best.
DN: Amanda, who is your role model?
Bennett: My dad. I'm a big daddy's girl. I do everything with him.
DN: Do you go golfing with him?
Bennett: Yes. And my brother who is 20 goes, too.
DN: Can you beat them?
Bennett: If I can get my brother in a bad mood, I can beat him.
DN: And your dad?
Bennett: I can just about beat him. But I really love to go with him.
DN: Because you think you will beat him soon?
Bennett: No, because he pays.
DN: Casey, what do you do in your spare time?
Gabaldon: Cheerleading.
DN: Why cheerleading?
Gabaldon: It keeps me in shape for hunting season.
DN: You hunt?
Gabaldon: Yeah, last year I drew a tag and my dad didn't. I shot one right through the heart from 457 yards.
DN: You shot one ... what?
Gabaldon: A deer. It was a 3-by-4. This year we are putting in for an elk.
DN: Amanda, what do you do in your spare time?
Bennett: I don't have any spare time. My schedule is the same every day. School, work, golf; school, work, golf.... Well, I guess there are a couple of hours for boys.
DN: Let's get back to golf. Who drives it the farthest?
Gabaldon: We're about the same. We both drive a little over 200 yards.
DN: Amanda, what is your favorite club?
Bennett: I love the irons.
DN: Why?
Bennett: It's funner to hit it far.
DN: So do you get on the green in regulation?
Bennett: That is where my chipping comes in.
E-mail: wjewkes@desnews.com