At the first mention of golf, most already have a clear image in their mind: old white men in light yellow sweater vests, shooting the breeze on a spring afternoon and discussing retirement as they weakly tap a ball into a hole with a club. But to the girl’s golfing team, this stereotype could not be farther from the truth.

“I strongly reject that,” co-captain senior Aishwarya Sukesh said. “People don’t understand–yeah, it’s just walking, but our bags weigh up to 50 pounds, and we burn a lot of calories during tournaments walking upwards of five to six miles.”

Although the co-captains agree that golf may not be the most active and exciting sport to watch on television, the sport demands the same amount of stamina, skill, practice and competitiveness as any other.

“Swinging a club requires a lot of mental strength and focus,” Sukesh said. “If something’s bothering you, it screws up your whole game, and your shots will keep getting worse.”

Practices run all through the school week, with Wednesdays involving running 1.5 miles around the lake in Bob Woodruff park in under 16 minutes (if over 16 minutes, members have to run even more). Golf carts are the luxury of casual golf players alone, and the girl’s golf team instead must lengthen their stamina to trek miles and miles through massive courses.

“Everyone thinks it’s easy until they actually try,” co-captain Kathy Dinh said.

For each practice, members record their scores for nine holes, which changes their team ranking day by day. Putting with friends is relaxing, but in their carefully calculated swing lingers the pressure of competition and other responsibilities.

“Practices are really time consuming,” Sukesh said. “For people who play earlier, they finish at around 5:30, and people who play later finish at 6:30, so we get home pretty late, and then you have to worry about your school stuff. It’s stressful to balance things.”

Even more daunting than the practices are actual competitions, which range from four to six hours in length and involve numerous schools from Plano, Allen, Lewisville and more. Golf courses change each time, some easy, some difficult, some relying on a stronger starting swing, others depending on effective putting. The element of surprise forces members to hone every technique so they are prepared for any course. In fact, the team is prepping for their next pre-districts competition on Jan. 29.

“I’m nervous,” Dinh said. “It’s going to be the most strategic course we’ve ever played.”

Similar to the scuffles with referees and rules in basketball or football, golf comes with its own massive rule book filled with technicalities that, during heated times, rival teams use to their advantage.

“Some people accuse you of stuff to win, and I hate that,” Dinh said. “After four years, I still don’t know all the rules.”

Despite all the difficulties and pressures of golf that come with any sport, banquets and friendships are among the most enjoyable aspects. The girls’ team is made up of only 14 members–a close-knit group that regards practices almost like hangouts, never putting scores above experience.

And as for the minigolf courses where amateurs play, the co-captains look on them in a different light.

“I’ve been to Top Golf once, and it’s fun,” Sukesh said. “But it’s like work for us, except with lights and music.”