Now that the Cyclone men’s golf team has one meet under its belt, coach Andrew Tank feels the team now can start doing some damage at the VCU Shootout in Richmond, Va., on Monday and Tuesday.

“Our practice is still solidly focused on our short game and how to approach our pre-shot routine,” Tank said, “and we feel like we’re improving everyday.”

Tank’s focus is very simple for the team. He’s keeping it centered around the Big 12 Championships, and improving to the point where the Cyclones can turn some heads in postseason play.

“I think as a coaching staff, we know a little bit more about the direction that the guys need to head,” Tank said. “Before the first tournament we didn’t have much data to go on.”

Things like the pre-shot routine and short game are universal things that need to be constantly improved upon by every golfer, and now with one meet behind them, the coaches can focus on specifics that they surveyed and can use that in practice.

“The tone has gotten more serious now that we’ve seen some things and examples about what we observed,” Tank said. “We can talk about them and come up with ways to address them.”

Not only has the practice focus and intensity picked up, but the camaraderie with the team as a whole has also gotten better.

It’s easy to tell with Tank’s light-hearted tone when he mentions it.

“When you travel with a group of guys for quite a bit of time, like the trip to Indianapolis, and spend time with them at meals, and practice rounds, you start to get to know the guys well, and I feel we’re bonding together as a team,” he said.

As a golfer you can only prepare each day, and hope that it translates to playing well in tournaments. Tank has that mentality and is trying to help the players to understand that also.

“You only can control the preparation,” Tank said. “I feel like we’re having a good week of practice, and with golf it doesn’t necessarily guarantee that you’re going to perform well or not.

“So we’re just doing the things we need to do to get better, and I just feel good about the way the guys are playing and we’ll see how it translates into this meet.”