GOLF

Dru Nix’s Gilbert High School Girls golf team had an incredible third season.

Her team contended in the S.C. High School League Class 3A state tournament and placed fourth. This is an incredible feat considering none of her players from the start up team participated this fall.

Each of the players from the original team had graduated or moved so this 2018 team was brand new.

Coach Nix credits community for the success.

“The Ponderosa Mens and Women’s golf associations are especially kind and encouraging,” she said. “In fact, one of the seniors donated clubs for players who needed them while another sponsored post match meals at the Ponderosa. The staff is kind and supportive.”

Legendary pro Buddy Bostian, who recently retired, had a special way to create a fun and friendly recreation culture. The former South Carolina Gamecock golfer, along with his amazing wife Libby, started the “Tri County Chapter” of the SCJGA Summer Hootie golf Tour in the Mid- 90s and this program served as a fertile seed bed for golf growth.

Ben Grandy has been a national leader in junior golf and is with the first tee. Dustin Johnson and Wesley Bryan both got their competitive starts in this program, as did the Proveaux brothers.

Just a few months before the start the 3rd season, Coach Nix got a call from the Lexington District 1 office that changed everything.

There would be a couple of new golfers on the way.

“I was informed that Kennedy Gooding and Alex Hodge would be attending in the fall and this was unbelievable good news,” Nix said. “These are two extremely skilled players who not only would have immediate impact on our teams performance but they are both young.

“Good players make those around them better. Kennedy and Alex have had significant influence on the younger players so it’s exciting to think about the future.”

The Gilbert girls’ golf future is bright because of Nix. Her beliefs seem to be seeded with other local golf success stories.

“These girls support each other, they are eager to learn, they have the desire, they are willing to work hard,” Nix said. “The parents and our community is behind the team. In all my years I have never part of anything quite this special.”

The Midlands “golf ground” has produced much world class “fruit” for years. It’s been fun to witness. We are producing talent comparable to major markets where there are more people who play golf than our entire population.

We are producing professional golfers at a rate comparable too, if not greater than, Los Angles, Houston, Dallas, New York, Atlanta, Orlando, and Chicago. My aim is to investigate then bring out some of the ingredients in our Midlands golf producing recipe.

There is a brand new golf gift idea available, but first an older traditional announcement.

The Irmo-Chapin Winter Youth Golf Tour orientation and registration is this week. We will meet at Char-wood at 3 pm for our first outdoor golf educational experience.

Ages 7-18, brand new with no experience, are invited to participate. This is a unique“ on course” developmental program for all skill levels. What makes the 27-year old program unique is the “cogni-conceptual” or strategical fundamentals which comprise the developmental focus, not the method-based or mechanical fundamentals.

In other words, there is no instruction on how to actually swing the club and strike the ball. The education emphasis is focused on the rudiments of on-course playing strategies and decision making. The parents can participate as course guides, caddies or spectators.

The “Winter Tour” plays each Sunday afternoon at 3 pm at different courses in the Midlands during the months of December, January, and February. Call 803-781-2063 for registration information.

There is at least one brand new gift idea I have for Christmas. It can be found at Koosa Golf Lexington off Two Notch Road.

Swing Balance is offering Tsunami Bar Pattern Support Tools that serve as the first complete GolFitness Product line. The tools were invented to be used for developing the movement patterns of the swing through golf specific exercises while serving as tools for general exercise featuring the brand new Tsunami Bar technology.

See Jimmy or Mickey Koosa, Mike, Blake, Jim or Scott when you stop by.