Calhoun County, AL Calhoun County, Alabama The best players and coaches from top teams go out to swing after high school. Calhoun County golf tournament cut from two rounds to just one.
By Joe Medley
A decision to reduce the Calhoun County high school golf tournament from two days down to one day has been thrown into the rough in terms of reaction from the golf course in the county scene.
“The county championship has always been a significant occasion that I have enjoyed,” stated White Plains senior Isabel Rogers, the reigning girls champion. “I believe the 36-hole format feels like a real competition and 18 feels like a normal match.”
The tournament was played in a format of Friday-Saturday, but will shift to Monday-only beginning in 2024. The tournament is scheduled for April 1 in the Pine Hill Country Club. Pine Hill Country Club.
County coaches and the principals’ group decided to cut half the county championship at the Aug. 23 meeting of the administrators. The news of the decision made its way through the high school golf club, and certain people have taken to social media to express their protest.
White Plains is the host school for the county championships during the 2023-24 school term, as well White Plains principal Andy Ward presented a plan for the change.
“I don’t recall who came up with the idea (it),” he declared. “It was presented to the principals and coaches Association for an approval and they decided to hold the event in one day.
“It was also suggested that the track in county to be extended to two days, however the group voted against it and it will stay one.”
The track meet takes place on Wednesdays and will be back on April 3, 2024.
The prom season is in full swing, and changing the golf tournament from a weekend-long, two-day format allows players to opt out of proms.
Administrators have come up with other options for proms. Alexandria’s prom is usually on a Saturday, during the baseball tournament and administrators have rearranged the dates to allow they can play the Valley Cubs can play an early game.
It’s not clear if earlier tee times can allow golfers enough time to prepare for proms. A round of 18 holes usually lasts about four to five hours.
A weekday with two rounds would result in two days of school for players.
Teams and players usually competitive in the finals say cutting it in half takes something from the event.
“I consider it to be the most horrible thing I’ve ever heard of,” said White Plains’ Sawyer Edwards, the 2022 champion and 2023 runner-up. “Everyone is on our team is looking at playing 2 days on the golf course in order to determine who is the true champion. A single-day tournament is far more straightforward to win than two consecutive days. You must play two days of great golf to be successful in the two-day (tournament). For a one-day tournament event, all you have to do is complete a solid round. The second day is a lot more difficult to mentally.
“It is likely to change quite a bit.”
White Plains’ coach Chris Randall the coach whose team of boys won the county’s fifth title in a row in April, has said that he’s “extremely dissatisfied” at the sudden change.
“Day 2 of the Calhoun County golf tournament is the golfers’ most favorite event of the calendar,” he said. “I’ll need to add my own, too.
“Nothing as thrilling as that day. A bit disappointed.”
Alexandria Coach Craig Kiker, whose girls won back-to-back county championships in April, told Alexandria director Jason Deason consulted him.
“When you asked me about it, i told the Mr. Deason to vote for an event that lasted two days,” he said. “If it had been only one day last year our players would have been beaten.
“We have between three and four teams each throughout the year within our County. They are eligible to participate in state tournaments. (two-day) State tournament. The county tournament was a good way to prepare for the state tournament. That’s why it was for two full days.”
