Men’s golf is getting back in the swing of things this weekend following a near four-month layoff.

The Huskies will compete in the Forest Hills Collegiate Saturday in Augusta, Ga. The one-day, 36-hole tournament is the Huskies’ first event since Oct. 22.

NIU will send six golfers, including four freshmen. Head coach Tom Porten said his young golfers are eager to put the fall season behind them and are ready to start the spring season.

“We have one of the younger teams in college golf, and they’re a very talented young group of guys,” Porten said. “We had a very difficult fall, but I think our guys have learned from that, gained some confidence this winter, and we’re very anxious to get down to Augusta and see what we can do.”

It’s been a rough winter in DeKalb, and the Huskies are excited to get out of the cold and get the season underway. Porten said he likes what his young team has been able to accomplish this winter, and he credits the Huskies’ state-of-the-art practice facilities for helping his team improve.

“The Chessick Practice Center has been nice to be able to at least hit golf balls into a net, and our indoor facility at Rich Harvest Farms is great where we can work on our short game,” Porten said.

Forest Hills is home to the Augusta State Jaguars, the host of the tournament. Porten said this is a new course for his young team, but he likes how it sets up for the Huskies.

“We need to put the ball in play and put the golf ball in the right position on the green, and I think if we do that we can be very competitive,” Porten said.

Last season, the Huskies posted a team score of 286 in the second round for a final team score of 586, 16 strokes behind tournament host Augusta State. This gave the Huskies a second-place finish in the event, and they will look to continue their success as they open the spring season with a new group of young talent.

NIU will send senior Shawn Foley to compete as an individual. Foley also competed in the event last season, posting a 78 and a 73 for an individual score of 151, which tied him for No. 31.

All of the other Huskies will be first-time competitors at the tournament. Porten said he likes the young talent his team possesses, but they lack experience and will only get that through competing in tournament play.

Forest Hills is a Donald Ross design and will play as a par 72 at 7,140 yards.