By: Lee Ramsey
lee@seymourherald.com
Believe it or not, high school sports have already started. Golf is the earliest sport to actually start competition with their first match Aug. 8 against Cherokee at Creekside Plantation Golf course in Seymour.
Practice began for the linksters on July 12.  Tryouts will be Tuesday, July 26 and Thursday, July 28 at 2 p.m. for both the boys and girls team.  All those interested are encouraged to try out.  The girls’ team is especially in need of players with only one girl, Shelby Stinnett currently practicing.
The boys’ team has the potential to be strong with some good players returning from last year’s 15 and 11 team. Senior Conner Simmons and juniors Parker Rudder, Justice Murphy and Andrew Boling return from last year’s team.
Rudder was All IMAC and qualified for the regional tournament by performing well in the district last season. He should be even stronger this year.
Inexperience as far as depth could be a problem as the Eagles will have to rely on upcoming freshmen to fill the void left by losing two key players with experience from last year.
Two freshmen Brandon Craven and Payton Presley will be moving up from middle school golf to the high school level.
The team may have picked up a sleeper in senior Ryan Burnett who has played baseball for three years for Seymour but wants to try golf this year.
 “We got a surprise in Ryan Burnett,” Seymour golf coach Gary Householder said.  “Ryan played baseball all three years at Seymour.  We didn’t know he played golf.  I’m really pleased with the way he strikes the ball.  He has a lot of ability.  
“Ryan’s shot the best practice scores so far.  He may play football also. He’s just one of those all around good athletes.”
On the girls’ side, Stinnett, who played in middle school, is the only participant so far. The door is wide open.  Any girl who wishes to play golf for the Lady Eagles is encouraged to come to practice.
“We would really like to have at least another girl who plays. If no one else plays, Shelby will have to participate in all the matches as an individual because you have to have at least two girls to have a complete team,” Householder said.
The Lady Eagles will most certainly be rebuilding from last year’s outstanding 18 and 6 team that consisted of seniors Megan Gamble and Kriesten Baldridge who advanced from district to region play.
The Seymour golf team is getting instructional help from Matt Fannon the teaching professional at Creekside.  Fannon is a former player for Seymour and played college golf.
“Potentially, (the boys) should have a very good team. We’ve got some kids that are good ball strikers.  Lack of experience will hurt us a little,” Householder “The freshmen haven’t competed at the high school level especially in the IMAC which is pretty tough.  It’s a very competitive league.  You pretty much have to shoot close to par to advance (in the post season tournaments).”
The Seymour Herald would like to wish the Seymour Eagles golf team good luck in the upcoming season.

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