Long wait finally over for state-bound golfers Ebster and Pena

Long breaks between competitions can be a challenge for athletes, especially those at the height of their postseason.

Often, a prolonged rest becomes a test of the mind. The doubt, fears and questions that live in the dark places of an athlete’s psyche begin to get louder and more convincing until finally they become a distraction.

Gregori sophomore Chris Ebster was faced with that very test after the CIF/NCGA Northern California Golf Championship on May 18. He advanced to the state tournament on the qualifying line at Corral de Tierra Country Club in Salinas, finishing with a 1-over-par 73 and in lockstep with Modesto Metro rival Daniel Pena of Johansen.

Ebster and Pena will carry the flag for the Stanislaus District at the CIF State Golf Championships on Wednesday at renowned Poppy Hills Golf Course, Pebble Beach’s tree-lined jewel.

The tee time can’t come soon enough for Ebster, the son of former Players West Golf Tour pro Dana Arnold-Ebster, also the 1987 CIF state girls runner-up.

Ebster and Pena have had to wait 16 long days between high school championships – a lifetime for athletes of their caliber.

“The last few weeks have gone by really, really slow,” Ebster said. “But I think the wait was good, actually, because it let me enhance my game.

“The mistakes I made at NorCals – chipping and driving – I was able to correct those mistakes. My driving accuracy is better, and I’ve got a better feel with my chipping.”

Ebster will tee off at 7:30 a.m. with two players from Southern California: Mason Schulze of Poway (San Diego Section) and Chris Adnams of Villa Park (Southern Section).

Pena will follow at 7:40, playing in a threesome with Haoyuan Li of Great Oak (Southern Section) and Jacob Solomon of Dublin (North Coast Section).

“I look forward to Wednesday’s round and the challenge ahead,” said Pena, the 2014 Sac-Joaquin Section Masters champion. “There will be a lot of good players at Poppy, and I will have to play exceptionally well to contend. It will be a fun round and a good learning experience.”

Instead of allowing the wait to erode his focus or tear apart his confidence, Ebster stayed busy, tinkering with his game while breaking in new equipment. He lived on the range at the McHenry Golf Center, where his mother is a teaching pro.

On Monday, he played a practice round at Poppy Hills, committing to memory the course’s subtle nuances and demands. He then came home to McHenry and played the course at least five times on the range and putting green, imagining every scenario, executing every stroke.

“It helps with my confidence and to keep my nerves down,” he said. “If you’re going onto a course you have no clue about, you might second-guess yourself. I played it five times and finalized my choices, so when I get there I have no second thoughts.”

Ebster says he trusts his game plan – and his equipment. That wasn’t necessarily the case going into Corral de Tierra.

He changed his wedges just before NorCals, trading out his worn-down Titleist grooves for a Cleveland set. The result has been added length and spin, both of which took some getting used to.

Even as he began NorCals with a sizzling run, making four birdies on the first five holes, Ebster said he didn’t fully trust his wedges.

“I went to Cleveland wedges, and the feel was totally different,” he said. “I spent a lot of time hitting them consistently and at certain distances.”

Ebster is making his second appearance at state. He was a freshman on Central Catholic’s historic 2014 team, the Stanislaus District’s first to reach state as a unit. That experience also has helped him survive the long, slow break between events, stifling any doubts.

“I’m excited. Less nervous this time, because I went there last year. I know how it feels,” said Ebster, who led Central Catholic to a sixth-place finish with a team-best 2-over 73 at San Gabriel Country Club. “I’m taking this tournament as fun. I’m glad I’m here. I’m glad I can still play high school golf, because not many kids are.”

This story was originally published June 2, 2015 at 8:35 PM with the headline "Long wait finally over for state-bound golfers Ebster and Pena."