Boys’ golf, girls’ tennis to move to fall in 2025

Class 4A boys’ golf has been a fall sport for quite awhile, and it makes sense because of enrollment in big the schools.

However, in a joint news release the Iowa High School Athletic Association and Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union announced that all remaining golf classes (1A, 2A and 3A) and girls’ tennis will now be fall sports starting in the 2025-26 school year.

No Hometown Current area team has a tennis program, but this will effect the boys’ golf programs.

The changes were made by the two boards to address the over scheduling in the spring sports calendar.

“Our member schools have been asking for ways to relieve the crowded spring sports seasons for years,” IGHSAU executive director Erin Gerlich said in a news release Monday.

“The new changes provide relief in an already busy spring and an opportunity for the IGHSAU and IHSAA to enhance the state tournament experiences for tennis and golf.

“A lot of work has gone into this process, and we appreciate all of the input we have received regarding these changes,” said Gerlich.

Eight total sports are played in the spring. That number will be six starting next year.

The fall sports season will have seven sports -- football, volleyball, boys’ and girls’ cross country, girls’ swimming, boys’ golf and girls’ tennis.

Other factors were also considered in the decision.

“For boys’ golf, fall should provide good course and playing conditions, and the high school season will immediately follow summer, when most golfers have enjoyed the opportunity to work on their game,” IHSAA executive director Tom Keating said in a news release Monday.

The reasoning behind the decision makes sense, but it may hurt smaller schools golf programs, according to some coaches.

“I’m extremely disappointed in this decision. In my opinion it will be the end of boys’ golf for small schools around the state,” Williamsburg boys’ golf coach Brad Schaefer said.

“We will have to really look at schedules and see how we can make it work so kids can dual sport if they desire.”

Smaller schools may have limited numbers to begin to even yield a scoring team in golf, and athletes will now have to choose between golf and cross country or football or try and do both at once.

“My main concern will be the number of guys who will continue to play golf now that it is up against football season,” Belle Planie boys’ golf coach Andy Dahlquist said.

“In past years a large percentage of my players have played football.”

Being a dual-sport athlete is common, especially in the spring sports, but that may be harder due to the vast difference in training between golf and the other two boys’ fall sports.

“I believe track and golf season for an athlete can coexist with good planning, but football is a different sport with more strategy and practice time involved,” Dahlquist said.

Weather conditions may be better in the fall to start the season, but conditions in Iowa in late September and October are unpredictable. You never know what you’re going to get.

“The weather and playing conditions will be better at the beginning, but not great during postseason. Just the opposite of what we have now (in the spring),” Schaefer said.

One last thing to be considered is how many golf courses tournament calendars have events that go into the fall, even into October.

Both Coach Schaefer and Dahlquist both expressed concerns over the availability of courses and how it can impact scheduling.

“Courses are fine giving up a day or two in April and May for meets when the weather is not ideal. Now they are giving up August and September at the end of their revenue season,” Schaefer said.

“Late summer and fall can be very busy times for a golf course compared to early spring,” Dahlquist added.

Schools and golf courses have a year to work through the logistics of the change and adjust.