The Greenwood High School golf teams are playing well and working hard to prepare for the upcoming post-season. Only two weeks and a handful of matches remain in the regular season.
GHS coaches Ronnie Sockey (girls) and Tyler Woods (boys) are expecting big things from their respective teams. The Bulldogs and Lady Bulldogs have Russellville, Siloam Springs, and Hot Springs Lakeside remaining on their schedule the next 10 days before the conference tournament at Arkansas Tech University in Russellville, September 23-24.
Lady Bulldogs
On August 22nd the GHS girls had a match a Ben Geren Park against Fort Smith Southside. The Lady Bulldogs won that match 120 to 172.
“We had one of our best team totals of the year playing nine holes,” said Coach Sockey. “Ella Austin had her career best round with a one-under-par round of 35.”
Grace Woody also shot a 42, Hallie Jones fired a 43, and Olivia Walker carded a round of 50.
On August 28th the Lady Bulldogs played at Siloam Springs, winning with team total of 128 over both Siloam Springs and Springdale. The top player for Greenwood was Jones with a nine-hole round of 38, followed by Woody (43) and Austin (47).
On September 3rd they traveled to Bentonville and played at Kingswood golf course in Bella Vista, a very tough course for the girls, according to Coach Sockey, but all four girls played well.
“Our top players were Ella Austin and Hallie Jones,” said the coach, each with rounds of 45. They were followed by Grace Woody at 46 and Olivia Walker with a 47.
The team total was 136 for Greenwood, 17 strokes behind Bentonville (119).
Last Thursday, September 5th, the GHS girls took on the Southside Lady Mavericks at Ben Geren Park in Fort Smith. The Lady Bulldogs won easily, 141 to 197.
Ella Austin had the top score with a round of 41, followed by Hallie Jones and Grace Woody, each with rounds of 50.
Bulldogs
The GHS boys, under first-year Head Coach Tyler Woods, are also gearing up for a strong post-season run. Woods, who also coaches boys’ soccer in the spring, has consistently used the same top five players in varsity action so far this season.
“We will be playing our conference tournament coming up in a few weeks out at Ben Geren, so we’re trying to get in as many matches there as we can,” said Woods.
“We have two 18-hole matches coming up to get ready for the one-day conference tournament on September 23rd. Our season is winding down fast with only two weeks remaining,” he added.
“We have a chance to compete for our conference championship if our guys will collectively shoot well. Home course advantage should help some,” said the coach.
Woods expects Little Rock Christian to provide the toughest competition in the league tournament. The state tournament is set for October 8th at Glenwood Country Club.
As for their recent play, the GHS boys have competed well. According to season stats offered by Coach Woods, his top five players are collectively averaging nine-hole scores of 44 or less, led by junior Brady Fein with a team-best average of 40.83.
Junior Ethan Clark is shooting an average score of 42.21 strokes, followed closely behind by junior Hayden Weaver at 42.67.
Seniors Cade Shrum (43) and Landon Tuck (44) hold down the fourth and fifth spots for Greenwood. In competition, the top four boys’ scores are counted. In girls’ play, only the top three scores count.