Normally, it can take some time for a team to hit its stride.
This is not a normal year for the Jefferson City Jays golf team.
"We are a month ahead of where we normally are," Jays coach Randy Bickel said as Jefferson City prepared for today's season-opener at Waynesville. "We would usually be working on ball-striking at this time, but we're already past that and onto hitting different shots."
In fact, Bickel is so pleased with where the Jays are entering the season it makes him a little uncomfortable.
"I hope we don't peak too early" he said. "Golf is a difficult sport, you can have peaks and valleys and I hope right now were not at a peak and the valley comes during the season.
"But if we put in the work, i think we should be OK."
Gabe Trowbridge, a junior who was a state qualifier last year, enters the season as Jefferson City's No. 1 player.
Bickel said the next four are senior Andrew Hansen, senior Jimmy Spath, freshman Nathan Erickson and junior Kent Uhlmann.
"The boys worked hard in the offseason," Bickel said. "They all strike the ball very well and they've put in the work," Bickel said. "W're not going to be going low a lot, but we should have five or six guys who are very consistent."
"I would be very disappointed if any of our tournament scores are above 340."
That would be an average of 85 for the top four players.
"And we should be in the low 320s most of the time," Bickel said. "Should be."
One question heading into the season is how the group will react to playing matches and tournaments.
"It's one thing to play well in practice rounds, it's another to play well when the scores really count," Bickel said.
Others who could climb into contention for varsity spots this season are juniors Mason Mitchell and Cole Eidson, sophomore Wilson Fischer and freshman Brett Trowbridge.
"Those are the guys that are coming on and I expect them to be in the mix by the time we head into districts," Bickel said.
Jefferson City, practicing this season at Meadow Lake Acres Country Club, is in a district along with defending state champion Rock Bridge. The top two teams advance to the sectional tournament.
"I think we should make it out of districts and if we can do that, we should be able to make some noise at sectionals and at state," Bickel said.
Jefferson City is looking to advance to the state tournament as a team for the first time since 2004, when it finished fourth.
"I just hope I'm not overly optimistic," Bickel said.
Jefferson City returns to action Friday in a dual at California.