After putting down the clubs for two months, Georgia’s men’s golf team is ready to pick them back up and get the competitive juices flowing.

“Generally in November and December, everybody kind of shuts it down a little bit, but as soon as you get back to school in January these guys know the competition is about to crank up so they start notching it up and getting ready,” Bulldogs head coach Chris Haack. “They’ve had a nice two month break for the most part, so they’re chomping at the bit and ready to go now.”

Following the winter months, the Bulldogs men's golf team has returned to the green to prepare for the upcoming season. EVAN STICHLER/Staff

After coming off a successful 2011 fall season with a first place finish in the Northeast Tri-Match and capping the season off with a victory Old Dominion/Outer Banks Collegiate, the Bulldogs are looking to ride their momentum into their spring season.

“It obviously ended on a positive note, and got our hopes up for the spring,” sophomore Michael Cromie said. “We’re a pretty young team, and not a whole lot of experience when it comes to college golf so we’re definitely hanging onto that momentum and trying to keep it going into the spring.”

But Georgia must wait for another month before seeing the course again on Feb. 19 for the Puerto Rico Shootout.

Throughout the long break, Georgia holds weight room workouts every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

The team also practices their short game every Thursday.

While no other practices are scheduled, many players have taken it upon themselves to improve their game.

“They know their weaknesses and just kind of work on that,” Haack said. “They’re going to come out and practice and do whatever they need to in order to stay sharp, but now that we are going into season, they are starting to step it up and play a lot more.”

While much hard work is put in, the golfers also take their time off to relax.

“You get a nice break, while during the season you’re juggling workouts, tutoring, and school,” sophomore Mookie DeMoss said.

The players cannot afford to take too much of a break because their playing time is on the line.

The team will hold a double-elimination intrasquad match play championship to decide who will go to Puerto Rico.

“We will start doing some qualifying, making them go head-to-head,” Haack said. “…Anytime there is competition on the line for traveling, all those guys practice pretty hard.”

Going into the spring season, the Bulldogs have the same goals — compete in every match going into the last day, win the SEC championship and win the national championship.

“To contend in our first couple tournaments and get as many ‘W’s’ as we can,” Cromie said of the team’s objectives. “Our goal is obviously [the] NCAAs, but [we want to win the] SEC championship every year. We can’t wait to get there and we kind of owned that tournament the past five or six years. We’re trying to get back in the winner’s circle this year.”

Haack wants the same goals for his team and has the utmost confidence in their ability.

“These young guys all have to get experience at some point, so they might as well get the experience of winning and having the chance to win so they just have to grow up fast, and go do what they were doing when playing junior golf,” Haack said. “Just go play. Let things happen. They got the talent. They just have to put it together.”

As the offseason proceeds, the Bulldogs will begin competitive play in order to get prepared for their spring debut.

Until then, DeMoss said the team has only one focus.

“Eat, sleep and breath golf,” he said.