Athletes Corner:
Raymond Moll Tees It Up During the Pandemic
It is 6:40 A.M. on a Tuesday morning during Winter Break and sophomore Raymond Moll has just arrived at the Palos Verdes Golf Course to begin his day. He doesn’t leave until five that night, having played and practiced for 10 hours.
Moll has always been motivated to improve. He started playing when he was 10 years old and has continued playing into high school.
“I first got into golf because of my grandpa. He is a really good golfer, so when I first beat him a couple years ago it was super exciting,” Moll said.
Moll’s freshman year was cut short because of COVID-19. The varsity team played no matches and the JV team played only three. Moll played in all three JV matches carding a team low of 40 in a match against Mira Costa.
Even with his stint on the team being short, he has gained the respect of many older teammates.
“As someone who is only a sophomore, he will continue to grow as a player and always provide good scores for us. His work ethic proves this too. He practices every day” senior Vidyuth Thattai said.
Throughout the offseason he has continued to improve. He has spent nearly every day at the golf course throughout the summer and fall, practicing and playing.
“At around 12, I head to the course. I usually putt for around 1-2 hours, then chip for half an hour. I then spend the next two hours hitting balls at the range, before trying to play a few holes. I always stay until it gets dark,” Moll said of his daily routine.
This hard work has paid off as his scores have continued to improve. In October, he shot a new low of 73 at Palos Verdes Golf Course. Even with this improvement, Moll still believes there are some parts of his game he can work on.
“The best part of my game is off the tee and my chipping, but my putting still needs improvement.”
Moll hopes to be able to play in college, but he is not too focused with this right now.
“Playing in college is a goal, but you never know what is gonna happen. I am just gonna continue to practice and play and see where it takes me.”
Boys Golf Coach and five time Bay League Coach of the Year, Ray Rivera, believes that Moll has a promising future ahead.
“I expect Raymond to represent and contribute as a member of our varsity team. He will give our team a strong chance to win the Bay League this year,” Rivera said.
Even with this season in jeopardy, Moll holds out hope to play and will be prepared if the season does come.
Ethan King is a junior at Palos Verdes High School. This is his second year as a writer for The Point. Not only does Ethan invest his time as a journalist,...