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Gaugert brothers get LGB golf team rolling

LAKE GENEVA — Alex and Austin Gaugert are brothers in arms.

As the top two golfers on Lake Geneva Badger High School team, the Gaugerts led the Badgers to a WIAA Division 1 state berth a year ago and an 11th-place finish.

And when the Gaugert boys need advice on their game, who better to turn to than their father, Jim? He spent 18 years as the head professional at Hillmoor Golf Club in Lake Geneva and now is an assistant coach at Badger High, which will play in the Ashenfelter Invitational on Saturday at Janesville Riverside.

Alex, a junior, is the No. 1 golfer for the Badgers. He finished sixth at state a year ago with a two-day total of 148 and was 11th at the Ray Fischer State Medal Play Championship this past summer at Riverside. That event features the state's top-ranked amateurs.

After getting a taste of state a year ago, Alex said the bar has been set high this season for the young Badgers.

"We want to win every tournament we enter, and if we make it to state, that would be our goal there, too," Alex said. "State is a little bit different because you have to put two good rounds together.

"We've got three sophomores competing for the fifth spot on varsity, and if everyone is playing well, it should be a pretty good team."

Although the Gaugert boys are competitive with one and other on the course, any sibling rivalry takes a back seat to the team's success.

Badger has only played two matches thus far this season. But beginning today, the team will play matches or in tournaments five of the next six days.

"Austin and I aren't normally in the same group when we play," Alex said. "They like to put us in different groups so we can help out and work with the younger guys.

"We want to beat each other, but it's not like I get jealous if Austin shoots a lower score than me. As long as the team wins, that's the most important thing."

Austin, a sharp-shooting senior, played basketball for Badger and was part of the 2007-08 team that qualified for the Division 1 state tournament.

Alex went out for swimming this past season for the first time. But when the weather breaks, the Gaugerts' definitely are in golf mode.

As both their coach and father, Jim Gaugert keeps a close eye on his sons' game. He knows their strengths and weaknesses, and labels both of them as above-average players with room to improve.

"Alex is a little more patient on the course, and probably a little tougher mentally," Jim said.

"Austin is a lot like me when he plays. He shoots for perfection. When every shot is not perfect, it tends to affect him a little bit more than Alex. But that's a part of his game that is really maturing."

Hillmoor was Badger's home course for years, but now the team practices and plays home matches at the 36-hole layout at Hawk's View Golf Club. Although Hillmoor is not open for public play yet because of financial problems, Alex hit balls on the range there Tuesday night.

Alex and Austin grew up playing Hillmoor, but their father believes Hawk's View is a good fit.

"The people at Hawk's View really stepped up for our program," Jim said. "That course is a nice mix for the kids, and one that really tests their skills. The whole arrangement worked out good for us.

"And with a very strong youth program, and a number of very good young golfers coming up, Badger has a bright future in golf."

One made a lot brighter by Alex and Austin Gaugert.