'Coaches dream' Dylan Teeter takes straightforward route to big results for UTEP golf team
Dylan Teeter isn't about highlight reels.
UTEP's junior golfer, who placed second at the Los Vaqueros Intercollegiate in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, last week for UTEP's highest individual finish in two years, doesn't play for the hero shot.
Other than the end result, the spectacular isn't part of his game, which is the biggest compliment his coach Aaron Puetz can give.
The strength of Teeter's game?
"It's literally boring," Puetz said. "He hits every fairway, he hits a lot of greens, he doesn't miss many putts inside 10 feet. This last fall he didn't have a score over 74, didn't have one lower than 68, but as a college golf coach, a guy who is going to shoot between 68 and 74, we need five of him.
"Dylan is the ideal player, a coach's dream. He comes in, he works hard, he's not flashy by any means. Every single day he's doing the same thing. Sometimes that can look boring, but playing boring is my favorite kind of golf.
"He got after it this week."
Teeter saw this coming. The past fall, Teeter's first in El Paso after transferring from Oklahoma City University, was good, but just hinted of what Teeter was setting himself up for this spring. Teeter and his team are in Hawaii for a tournament that begins Thursday.
As to why he felt so confident, Teeter's answer wasn't flashy. Like his game, it was straightforward and matter-of-fact.
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"I felt good all week," he said. "I got some new equipment in the bag that helped me feel a little more aggressive, a little more comfortable with what I had in my hands. I was able to transfer that to the week, play well, put some good scores up and I ended up having a good week.
"Pretty much everything was working. I was striking the ball well, putting myself in good positions to score, not putting myself in out of position and if I did I was able to get out of them relatively easily. That helped me throughout the week."
Led by Teeter's 72-71-69—212, the Miners (311-288-289—888) finished second in the nine-team tournament hosted by Texas-Rio Grande Valley, the highest finish by UTEP in a men's golf tournament since 2019.
This is what Teeter and Puetz envisioned when Teeter came in from Oklahoma City, an NAIA program about 110 miles from Teeter's hometown of Bixby, Okla. (Tulsa area).
After a good two years at Oklahoma City that included a Sooner Athletic Conference championship as a freshman in 2022, Teeter's coach Andy Crabtree left and Teeter saw an opportunity for something bigger.
"Opportunity," he said. 'I had a coaching staff change, then I was able to get in contact with coach Puetz. He gave me a good opportunity. I came out for a visit and this seemed like a good place to be.
"The weather is fantastic, we hardly ever have a bad day. The people are nice, it's a good community, I feel welcome here."
Puetz saw an opportunity to get a player who can bring the program to the next level, which can be contending for a Conference USA title.
"We had an opportunity late in the summer, brought Dylan in on a visit and he loved it," Puetz said. "He had a significant scholarship offer, sometimes the stars align. We're very fortunate to have a player like Dylan, he'll be with us one more year.
"I'm looking forward to him taking a leadership role and not only win individually, but help our team win a conference championship."
How does Teeter get there? That answer isn't complicated. It's like Teeter's tee shots, right down the middle of the fairway.
"It's more fine-tuning my game," he said. "This past term it was hard to look at any negatives, it's one of those things keep doing the routine and keep the momentum up for the weeks ahead."
That a formula that has gotten him this far, which is one step away from the top of a podium.
Bret Bloomquist can be reached at bbloomquist@elpasotimes.com; @Bretbloomquist on Twitter.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Dylan Teeter takes simple route to big results for UTEP golf team
