WSU women’s golf tees off on its 2020 season tomorrow with an exhibition match versus Cal Poly at San Luis Obispo Country Club in California.

Head coach Kelli Kamimura said the round is a practice trip so the players can familiarize themselves with the course for the Bruin Wave Invitational Feb. 24-25. The results of the practice will not be posted.

The team normally travels around Martin Luther King Jr. weekend for practice, Kamimura said. The friendly match with Cal Poly will focus on competitive mindset, rather than trying to get a lot of rounds in.

“Competition always brings out that fire,” Kamimura said. “It adds a layer of intensity to the trip.”

When it comes to individual improvement, she said January is a growth season for the team and she wants her players to peak in their performance toward the end of February before competition is more intense.

The players will work with a mental coach while they are in San Luis Obispo to develop breathing techniques and work on their playing mindsets, Kamimura said.

“The mental coach can only work on the mental aspects of the game,” she said. “Obviously in golf that is a huge aspect.”

Several of the players are coming back from injuries or are working on technical changes in their swings and will be competing for the first time under those conditions, she said.

“After the practice trip … we’ll be able to see how they’re transitioning those areas of growth into their play,” Kamimura said.

The team is preparing for the NCAA Women’s Regional, which will be in May at Palouse Ridge Golf Club.

“All of our practice, all of our tournaments, we feel like are taking us on the road to get back to the ‘Ridge’ to then advance to NCAAs,” Kamimura said.