Last fall was monumental for the Summit High School boys golf team. 

In the team’s second season under head coach Zach Dobrota, the Tigers managed to make recent program history, sending three golfers to the state tournament — the most since 2021.

The trio of golfers each placed within the top 70 at the 2024 state tournament, helping the team secure 12th overall. Now entering his third season at the helm, Dobrota is confident his squad can surpass last year’s achievements, even with a series of rule changes.

Ahead of the 2025 fall season, the Colorado High School Activities Association has introduced updated state championship qualifying requirements for classifications 2A through 5A.

Previously, golfers earned their spot at state solely through their performance at the regional tournament. Beginning this year, however, Colorado High School Activities Association has shifted to a season-long ranking system to determine who qualifies to the state tourney.

 Instead of the qualifying process being placed on one competition, golfers will now play in a minimum of five qualifying events, with their best rounds/ranking counting towards their overall standing in the state. The top 84 golfers on IWanamaker will qualify for the state tournament, with each team being limited to four golfers each. 

Dobrota was initially skeptical of the new qualifying procedure, but has since come around to the new format and believes his team will be able to qualify several athletes to this year’s state tournament. 

“I did not understand it when CHSAA made the change,” Dobrota said. “I thought they were putting spots in the hands of the teams that can afford to play more — which they kind of are. But if you go out there and play five rounds of lights-out golf, you are going to be in a good place. You don’t need to play in the full 12 tournaments anymore.”

The new format ultimately puts more stress on regular season tournaments, forcing golfers to play well throughout the season instead on a random day in late September.

“It is a little bit different,” Dobrota said. “There is no longer that prep to get everyone to play well at regionals. … It changes the mindset of how you attack the season and how you want to do certain things. I think amongst the boys they understand that if they get out to a hot start, if they play well early, it is going to help them in the long run. … It is a different approach to the game.”

There are several athletes who are poised to vie for a state-qualifying mark this fall. After graduating two seniors from the state team, Summit will rely on the skill and experience of senior Ryan Lankhorst and senior Hogan Tobias this fall. 

Lankhorst most notably completed the 36-hole state tournament with a score 179 (+37) which was good enough to tie for 61st place overall in the 84-man field.

Tobias also had a strong junior campaign for the Tigers. Although he did not make the cut to play in the state tournament, Tobias served as an alternate for the team and had one of his best rounds at the Class 4A Region 4 tournament.

Tobias shot an 87 at the regional tournament, securing a top-30 finish and taking 23rd overall. 

Beyond Lankhorst and Tobias, Summit will lean on five other seniors who are expected to carry the team to high tournament finishes this season.

“It is great having Ryan and Hogan back,” Dobrota said. “Having them play in the state tournament goes a long way. They have experience, they can explain things to the younger boys when certain things are happening. Get them in the right mindset.”

With the team’s first official practice of the season taking place on Aug. 4, the Tigers have already traveled to two tournaments to kick off the season. On Aug. 7, Summit traveled to Cedaredge, where the team was able to take second overall. 

A week later on Aug. 12, Summit competed at the Black Canyon Golf Course in Montrose. Summit secured its second top-three finish of the season, finishing in third place.

“We are looking good,” Dobrota said. “We are very competitive. We are a little bit older than we have been in the past. We have seven seniors at the moment. Between the seniors and the juniors and even the incoming freshman and sophomores, it is anybody’s team at this point.”

Summit will now gear up for a competitive slate of regular season tournaments. With stops in Cherry Creek, Grand Junction and Steamboat Springs, Summit will face formidable teams that will challenge them to play clean and well-rounded games of golf. 

The Tigers will get their next opportunity on the links on Tuesday, Aug. 26, when they travels to Overland Park Golf Course in Denver for the Cherry Creek Invitational. 

“We are definitely looking at a couple of new tournaments,” Dobrota said. “New courses, tougher courses. I am excited to see what the boys can do in some stronger fields than the tournaments that we have historically played in.”