Britney Holt Mead Year: Senior Sport: Golf

REPLAY: 5-16-97 Eleen Northcutt coaches the Mead girls golf team. She was misidentified in a story Thursday.

Britney Holt stopped to think about the contradiction, then smiled.

“I just wanted to have fun this year, I didn’t want to be too uptight,” she said.

Well, there was plenty of fun for the Mead senior, who was medalist in all eight Greater Spokane League golf matches she played this year before cruising to the District 8 title.

But, as defending State AAA champion, her expectations are high and until she shot a 1-over par 73 at MeadowWood on Tuesday, she wasn’t satisfied.

“It’s kind of hard to explain,” she said. “I don’t want to sound bad, but I’ve been kind of frustrated, playing like I have even though I’ve been winning. I didn’t live up to my expectations.”

That isn’t a contradiction to Mead coach Ellen Becker. She knows what Holt can do and how she handled the season even with the lofty expectations.

“For some reason, this season she felt more relaxed,” Becker said. “She seemed more at ease and with that ease came lower scores.”

Becker credited Holt’s decision to attend the University of New Mexico as well as a new driver, which increased Holt’s distance off the tee.

Becker said, “I just found great enjoyment watching her play.”

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo