DARLINGTON - Teeing off facing a blustery wind isn't the most ideal conditions for getting a golf swing back.

But it didn't take long Monday for the Darlington boys golf team to recapture its stroke. The Redbirds won their season opener, a three-team match over Pecatonica-Argyle and Shullsburg at the Darlington Country Club, by shooting a 175. That was 51 strokes better than second-place Shullsburg.

Darlington senior Adam Reichling led the Redbirds by shooting a 40. Fellow senior Brent Tuescher shot a 42. Tuescher said the Redbirds' goal early on is getting their swings back this spring.

"It feels like I haven't done it in a while," Tuescher said of swinging a golf club again. "I wish it would be better weather. We are not looking to shoot for anything yet."

Darlington returns its top five golfers from a team that was the conference co-champion with Mineral Point and qualified for the sectional as a team. The Redbirds return four seniors, including Tuescher, Adam Reichling, Cody Murray and Cody Bredeson, who were on the state qualifying team in 2007.

"Obviously, getting back to state and bringing home another conference championship would be awesome," Tuescher said.

Darlington sophomore Bryan Reichling finished with a 46 and Murray carded a 47.

"If they are within a couple shots of their handicap from last year, I will be happy," Darlington coach Nate Wiegel said as he watched his players tee off.

The Argyle golf program began the inaugural season of its co-op with Pecatonica by finishing third. Pecatonica-Argyle's top golfer, senior Nick Kromminga, missed Monday's match with a wrist injury. Pecatonica-Argyle coach Chris Holcomb, who owns Partridge Hall in Argyle, is in his first year.

"I'm always on the golf course anyways, so I thought I might as well coach," Holcomb said.

Holcomb said Kromminga probably will miss a week.

Two of Pecatonica-Argyle's top five golfers in the opener were freshmen, including Micala Peterson and Sean Shilling. Pecatonica senior Kyle Kent led the Vikings with a 52. Brandon Watkins and Mitchell Edge each shot a 55. In her first prep golf match, Peterson shot a 65.

"I know they were really nervous tonight," Holcomb said of his two freshmen. "Once they get experience, the nerves are not quite as bad."

Battling the weather was a challenge.

"It's hard to have a nice fluid golf swing when it's so cold out here," Holcomb said. "It could be worse. We could have four inches of snow on the ground and we wouldn't be playing."

While Pecatonica-Argyle is establishing an identity as a first year co-op, Darlington is looking to build on a winning tradition. Wiegel knows it could be a magical year for the Redbirds on the greens.

"We are hoping to get a chance at the sectional and have a chance at the state meet," he said. "If they just go out and play with confidence, I think they will have a pretty successful season."

Only time will tell whether that ends with a second state appearance in the past three years.

"I would say the biggest challenge is the lofty expectations placed on us by ourselves and people who follow the program," Wiegel said. "It's so tough. One 18-hole match determines whether you go to state or not. So many things can happen in a day. We want to put ourselves in a position to have a chance to go to state."

Wiegel knows having a No. 1 golfer like Tuescher makes a coach's job easier.

"(Tuescher) is just consistent with all of his shots," Wiegel said. "His short game is advanced. He's consistent with wood and iron shots."