Gilbert and Lexington high school girl’s golf teams won their respective SC High School League championships last week.

For the Lexington Wildcats, their 14th state title was achieved in record fashion. Winning has become a tradition and the expectation for this program is to win this event every year.

Next week, the focus will be on the Lady Wildats. This week, the feature of this column will be the Gilbert Lady Indians.

It was 5 years ago when head coach Dru Nix and the Gilbert community started a golf team in a field on a farm.

“We had 6 softball players that had never played golf, no funding, no equipment, we did not have uniforms shoes or even a facility,” she remembered. “We started in a horse pasture. Kaylee Price’s parents hosted our practices on their farm.

“Then, the Ponderosa Ladies Golf Association, along with the Women’s South Carolina Golf Association and the South Carolina junior golf Association all pitched in to support this golf initiative. Before long, we had shoes, clubs, golf balls and the Ponderosa Club stepped in to be our home course.

“Within a couple of years, Alex Hodge and Kennedy Gooding transferred to the program. These 2 were seasoned players and set the example for the others to follow. This is when our skill level and program took off.”

“We have five girls on our team this year,” she continued. “Meredith Price and Edie Raine Hardee are sophomores who both have been here from the start. Ellie Chavis is a 1st year junior, while Alex Hodge and Kennedy Gooding are juniors, so we still are young. My hope is to get more players between this year and next so they can benefit from the experience of our accomplished players.”

Connie Liley is the Gilbert Indian assistant coach.

“Coach Liley is incredibly supportive and she has been instrumental in developing the younger players,” Nix said. “She leads them, inspires them and shows them how to work.”

Few programs have experienced such rapid progress and success. The Gilbert Lady Indians golf story is true community-based, countrystrong and organically created by coach Nix.

Speaking of organic, “Winter Youth Golf Tour” was created to bring brand new players with no experience into golf with parents caddying.

The Lexington County Recreation & Aging Commision (LRAC) held the very first season in 1992. The next season, it was held by the Irmo-Chapin Recreation Commission (ICRC) for next 26 years.

For this upcoming season, Richland County Recreation Commission(RCRC) will join ICRC and LRAC in a joint presentation and effort to connect more children and families with golf. LinRick Golf Club, which is owned by RCRC, will serve as the host golf course.

The “Winter Youth Golf Tour” registration is open now at each of the 3 recreation commissions, so visit their website to sign up.

The program runs December, January and February and close to 20 area courses are on the tour’s rotation including Timberlake, Indian River, Country Club of Lexington, Oak Hills, Hidden Valley, Mid-Carolina, Columbia Country Club, the Woodlands, Cobblestone Park, Ponderosa, Camden Country Club and Charwood Country Club.

Visit http://richlandcountyrecreation.com/fall-golf-programs-at-linrick-golf-course/, icrc.net, or, https://sports.bluesombrero.com/lcrac. For questions, please call (803)603-1718.