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06/10/2021 12:00 AMIf you approached Andrew Fleig four years ago and told him that he would be the top golfer and a captain at Haddam- Killingworth in 2021, he would have told you that you were way off-base. However, Andrew has worked his way into both of those roles during the past few years and recently finished up an excellent junior season with the Cougars.
Andrew grew up playing baseball before picking up his first set of golf clubs just prior to high school. Andrew has risen up the Cougars’ ranks and seen great success on the links, recently finishing in a tie for 13th place with an 18-hole round of 86 at the Shoreline Conference Championship.
“I began playing around four years ago. It was just before I came into high school,” says Andrew. “I picked up golf on the side when I used to play Little League baseball, but I became obsessed with it. It was something that I had never seen before, and it was a challenge that I really wanted to take on and be good at.”
Andrew likes how golf is both an individual and a team sport. Andrew is constantly looking for ways to improve his game and always holds himself accountable for any bad shots that he makes on the course.
“The individual aspect of golf is certainly my favorite. When you’re on the course, there is one to blame but yourself for your mistakes, and it has very much helped me develop my work ethic,” Andrew says. “The individual aspect is also a matter of integrity, since it’s up to you to tell the truth of your scores and subsequently get better.”
Head Coach Josh Hagewood says that Andrew is one of the most supportive players on H-K’s roster. Hagewood says that Andrew has been doing a solid job of encouraging his teammates in the captain’s role, while also posting some quality scores this year.
“Andrew constantly encourages his teammates to search for excellence and is unconditionally supportive of them, regardless of the day he is having on the course. He’s been a true role model for the underclassmen,” says Hagewood. “Down the stretch this year, Andrew has played some of his best golf. He’s recorded our team’s best score in 13 of our 14 matches this year, no doubt because he’s worked meticulously on his craft all season long.”
Andrew and Coach Hagewood have solidified their relationship since Andrew joined the team as a freshman. Andrew says that he couldn’t ask for a better coach and role model than Hagewood.
“He’s always been someone that I could talk to,” Andrew says of Hagewood. “And his outlasting values of integrity and respect will stay with me long after my high school golf career.”
Andrew tried to have realistic expectations for H-K this spring after the team lost some key players before the season started. However, Andrew feels proud of his squad for battling hard all year, and H-K saw those efforts with a couple of victories during the late stages of the campaign.
“In all honesty, I had very low expectations for our team this season, considering the number of key players that we dropped. Luckily, the team surprised me very quickly and picked it up in no time,” says Andrew. “I’m extremely proud of the guys. I’m just glad we were able to get a season in this year.”
As his junior year comes to a close, Andrew already has his sights set on helping H-K have a winning campaign in 2022. The rising senior is also planning to compete in some Junior PGA tournaments over the summer.
“I hope to lead our team next year to a winning season and a strong showing in the Shoreline Tournament. I also plan to start playing in Junior PGA tournaments this summer,” Andrew says. “There’s no better way to improve than by getting out there and playing 9 or 18 or whatever. If it’s the day before a match, I like to go out there and put myself in as many different positions as possible, no matter how difficult, just so that I’ll be comfortable wherever the ball lands in the match.”