In high school golf, each team needs a minimum of four golfers to record a team score. King’s Fork’s team has no room for error, illness or disqualification as it prepares for its first match of the season on Monday.

Coach Calvin Mitchell has the four golfers he needs, but no more. Mitchell is doing what he can to find a few more golfers somewhere in the school. Even his decision to make Nansemond River Golf Club the home course for his team was done in an effort to get a little more attention.

“It’s closer to the school, so hopefully some of these guys’ friends will see them playing out here and ask them about it. Hopefully it can be a bit of a recruiting tool,” Mitchell saidduring practice on Thursday at Nansemond River.

Returning seniors Andrew Cospelich and Will Suhring are Mitchell’s only veterans. Southeastern District teams will play five different courses in Suffolk and Chesapeake during the regular season, so Mitchell will rely on his two seniors to be assistant coaches for his rookies. Cospelich will likely be the top golfer, as he regularly shot in the 70s last season as KF’s usual No. 3 player.

“That’s the good thing, I have Andrew and Will to help guide them. I can have one senior paired with each of the new players,” said Mitchell.

“It’s such an early season. Having two weeks would be a nice warm-up for them, and it’s such a short season,” said Mitchell.

“We spend a lot of time on the course. We work on basics, too, but we’re spending a lot of time on the course. I’m trying to show them how to manage the course,” said Mitchell.

KF and the whole of the district has eight of its nine matches scheduled before school starts on Sept. 8. Once the season gets under way, and factoring in a couple of rainouts, it’s common for teams to have only one or two practice days a week during the regular season.

Nevertheless, Mitchell, just like his Lakeland and Nansemond River counterparts, welcomes any golfer who might still want to come out.

The Bulldogs start on Monday at Nansemond River against Great Bridge. Lakeland meets Grassfield on Monday morning, starting at 10 a.m., at Nansemond River.