Published: May 10, 2008 11:40 pm            

Raiders looking for solid first round of golf in Muscle Shoals

Looking for Good Hope High’s golf team? Shouldn’t be too hard to find them.

Despite having played several rounds this season at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Course, the Raiders were right back in the Shoals Saturday getting ready for Monday’s state tournament.

“We went up and played a practice round just today in fact,” said Good Hope coach Danny Welborn. “All the experience you can get on a course is a learning experience with holes, sand traps and water.”

And though Welborn said his team chose not to emphasize scoring, the Raiders had a tough time on the putting green — something senior Nathan Brown said is a mental issue.

“Putting is so much of a mental thing out there,” he said. “So I think if we get the mindset, we’ll do fine. It’s just a few guys struggling.”

Junior Caleb Neighbors said his putting stroke was off Saturday, though it should be back in time for his 10:15 tee-time Monday.

“I’m striking the ball pretty good,” he said. “I’ve been missing little shots I shouldn’t miss, but I should get it back by Monday.”

Welborn said the team will head back today to get some more practice on the greens.

“Even pros have bad days putting,” said Welborn. “But maybe the putting will come around for us.”

Neighbors and Brown said the team was confident heading into Monday — despite having an young team.

“Jesse (Curtis) and Matt (Easterwood) and Dustin (Schwaiger), they’ve all come through for us this year,” Neighbors said of the team’s younger players. “We told them it’s just another tournament, just go out and play.”

“This is my fifth year to go,” Brown added. “We’ve always had a pretty decent team, but we’ve never had a team that’s really in contention.

“It’s really exciting. I’m looking forward to it more.”

The favorite in Class 3A, according to Brown, is Montgomery Academy — which has won five straight state titles. But without a senior on this year’s team, Brown said the Eagles could be vulnerable.

“One thing I was telling the other guys is that there’s golf and there’s tournament golf,” Brown said. “And we’re getting ready for tournament golf right now.”

        

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