Eagles, Golden Falcons experience tough 1st day at state golf meet

By Justin Hayes
Published in Sports on May 10, 2016 1:48 PM

• Print
• Email

jhayes@newsargus.com

PINEHURST -- Culture shock.

That was the formed consensus around scoring yesterday in Pinehurst, as Rosewood and Charles B. Aycock struggled through opening-round play of the N.C. High School Athletic Association's Classes 1-A and 3-A golf championships.

For both teams, a lack of familiarity spelled trouble.

Unlike home, there were no recognizable sight lines from the tee. No green complexes committed to memory. No easy, familiar banter with season-long ECC 3A playing partners.

In other words, the clock struck midnight.

Both teams did receive, however, a steady diet of state-championship level conditions in exchange for their regional qualifying success.

Rosewood, with just a single practice round in tow, managed a team total of 355 on the par-72, 6,513-yard Longleaf Golf and Family Club. The grinding effort placed the Eagles eighth out of 12 teams.

Fifth seed Andrew Ingram paced Rosewood with an opening-round 81. His round included 10 pars, six bogeys, two double-bogeys -- and praise from his coach.

"Andrew did really well," head coach Rick Grantham said. "It's the states, so everything's amped up... but he was real calm. Just went about his business like he normally does."

Ingram was joined by Cameron Klages, who fired an 88. Also counting for the Eagles was a pair of 93's by Dylan Champion and Dylan Greene. Senior Jeremy Mercer endured a rough start en route to posting a 95.

Despite a less-than-stellar start, Grantham insisted his troops would continue to enjoy the many challenges of golf on the state level.

"You've got to miss where you can have a chance, Grantham said of the course. "(But) we're having a great time -- that's what we do."

At Whispering Pines, an Ellis Maples-inspired sandhills classic, a similar tale unfolded for Aycock.

Hasty green speeds and a devilish turn on the 544-yard, par-5 fifth hole derailed the Golden Falcons early. Those two elements led to a frustrating team total of 345 -- good for 11th in a 12-team field.

It also proved that Pinehurst, while beautiful, can be difficult to navigate.

"Extremely fast," coach Dave Elmore said of the green speeds. "A lot of strokes were lost today by all players (on the greens)."

And also the fifth, which caused the Golden Falcons to stumble. Reachable in two, the par-5 features a blind second shot to a treacherous landing area -- one that prompted Aycock to play the hole at 7-over par as a team.

The Golden Falcons were led by senior Blake Bartlett's round of 84, and also counted an 85 from east regional runner-up Bryce Jones. Mitchell Langston and Jake Flowers booked a pair of 88's, while junior Ty Daniels signed for a 91.

And of all the rhetoric surrounding day one, perhaps it was Flowers' take that most eloquently captured the essence of CBA's start.

"It all started Sunday," the junior said with a laugh, "when we sunk our golf cart to the axle in mud (on the fifth hole). Besides that..."

Call it a prophetic twist.

Call it fun.

Call it a learning experience for both teams, one that concludes with today's final round.