Head golf coach Mike Moncel, said it has been a difficult practice week.

Despite recent snowstorms and tornado warnings that have halted practices, six members of the women’s golf team will be competing this weekend in the Saluki Invitational at Carbondale’s Hickory Ridge golf course.

“Courses have been closed and the day we returned from our trip (the men’s Drake/Diablo Grande at Pickwick State Park golf course in San Francisco) there was a tornado watch,” said Moncel.

The men’s tournament kept Moncel away until Wednesday of this week and the women have been practicing on their own when the weather permitted.

Freshman Carrie Riordan said she was outside a little on Monday, but for the most part her and her teammates have been unable to get much work in.

Riordan says that there is little the team can do indoors because it is so different from outdoors where the game is actually played.

Junior Jacky Bodis said she sees the fact that the team has not hit many balls this week as the main obstacle for the team.

“We came in second in our last tournament and weren’t even playing well,” Moncel said.

At the Fairfield Invitational in Myrtle Beach, S.C., March 13-14 sophomore Amy Simons, Riordan, freshman Michelle Anderson, and Bodis were all top eight finishers.

Looking ahead Moncel says the scores may be high this weekend due to the recent weather conditions, but she expects his team to do well and come through with “flying colors.”

“We’re all (each school participating) playing the same golf course with the same conditions,” he said.

Those conditions this weekend at Carbondale will feature temperatures in the 50-degree range on Friday and Saturday, with rain supposed to hit Carbondale Sunday.

Another adverse condition that the Panthers have to face this weekend is the absence of their top golfer, Bodis.

Moncel said Bodis will miss this tournament, as she is recovering from an injury, but is expected back for next week’s tournament in Springfield, Mo.

In place of Bodis, sophomore Trisha Blake will travel with the Panthers.

Blake has not competed in any of Eastern’s tournaments this year, but Bodis said that the experience Blake will receive this weekend can only help her.

“I think she’ll do well,” Bodis said. “This is a good opportunity for her.”

A Hickory Ridge employee said the course has not been affected by the recent weather that has hit Charleston and is ready for play.

The tournament starts Saturday and concludes Monday.