Montezuma-Cortez’s Plewe battling physical & mental challenges on the golf course

Thayer Plewe wasn’t used to the feeling he sensed before the start of his senior season earlier this year. Coming off a Class 3A runner-up finish at state before qualifying for the Junior PGA Championships, Plewe felt both physically and mentally scattered.

The Junior PGA Championships and other highly-attended tournaments provided atmospheres that requested more out of Plewe.

“Trying to be so focused on my game that I don’t really feel the crowd that’s around every hole — it definitely drains you,” Plewe said. “You really have to hit that refresh button coming off of that.”

Plewe didn’t hit his refresh button soon enough, leading to one of the toughest five-hole stretches in his career at the Pagosa Springs Invitational in the early part of the season. Plewe entered the final five holes one-under par but shot a triple bogey to close his day.

Plewe spoke with his older brother, Hayden, several hours after his performance in Pagosa Springs. Hayden, a former collegiate golfer at Southern Utah University, had a brief but direct message for the younger Plewe.

“Hayden told me, ‘You have to want to be there. You have to bring that instinct of winning every single tournament to every tournament you play in’”, Thayer said.

The next day, during his routine before the Red Hawk Invitational in Montrose, Thayer walked over to the team’s bus to take a break and sit quietly inside for five minutes. He didn’t analyze his play or form a gameplan in his head.

Instead, he took time to breathe, gather his thoughts and capture the mindset and mentality his brother suggested the night before.

“Golf is an incredible sport,” Plewe said. “You have to have the physical talent but also the mental ability to get over bad rounds.

“I think (the break) was just wanting to give myself a moment to find my mentality and integrate that into my routine.”

Plewe’s decision certainly paid off as the senior shot a six-under par to place first at the Red Hawk Invitational and helped Montezuma-Cortez place third with an overall score of 221.

“When he has confidence in his putting and he’s patient, he can post some low scores,” said Todd Plewe, Thayer’s dad and head coach of Montezuma-Cortez’s boys golf program.

Thayer’s performance at Cobble Creek sparked a string of successful outings as he posted a one-under 70 at Hillcrest Golf Course in Durango the following week and a 69 at Thorncreek Golf Course in Thornton.

Thayer has posted a 68.5 stroke average and is ranked No. 3 statewide in iWanamaker’s season rankings.

“He’s got all the tools and he’s played a lot,” Todd said. “He just really enjoys playing golf, which is why I enjoy coaching him.”

Plewe, after an uncharacteristic start, said he’s hitting his stride with the postseason around the corner.

“Golf is about managing when you miss the fairway or manage when you miss a five-foot putt or have a bad bunker shot,” Thayer said. “When you can manage and don’t make double or triple, it gives you so much more confidence to bounce back with a birdie and good shots. Knowing that I’m not in a position where I’m producing doubles or triples puts confidence into my game.”

Thayer’s resurgent magic at Cobble Creek extended to his teammates Vince Lopez, Kayden Huff and Airoughn VanGrandt — the latter has broken personal best scores three times this season and Lopez and Huff have shown signs of improvement, Todd said.

“We’re in a good spot going into regionals,” Thayer said. “The goal for us has always been to compete at state and I think with this group we can definitely do that.”