They have fun on the course. They have fun off the course, and Coach Kevin Davis has had a front row seat to all of it for several years now. Davis and his charges, the Rome High School boys golf team, head to Jekyll Island to compete in the Class 5A State Golf Tournament on May 19 and 20, looking to continue to make a big impression.
Last year, the Wolves placed eighth, and everyone on the team is hoping to make improvements on that finish.
The squad, consisting of Bo Bushnell, EJ Oliver, Olan Greer, Sam Smith, Brady Hewitt, Hayden Wood, Ayden Crabtree, and Sam Masters, faces a daunting task competing against a loaded Class 5A field over 36 holes. But it’s nothing new for the group, which has been tackling and beating tough competition the past few years.
“You're not going to be able to compete at the state level if you don't go play 18-hole tournaments, and if you don't go play in really good ones with good competition. So they're not going to be surprised by the talent that they're going to see at the state tournament,” Davis says. “They've played with all those guys before. They've beaten some of those guys. They've been beaten by some of those guys. That is extremely important.”
Greer and Smith have quick words when asked about their feelings about returning to the state golf tournament with both golfers saying they’re excited and can’t wait to get to play.
Bushnell, the lone senior on the squad, pontificates a bit more than his teammates.
“I'm super excited. I think I'm more excited than I was last year, just because of the location,” Bushnell says. “We're going to Jekyll. Gainesville's great, but there's something to be said when your hotel backs up to the beach.”
Most high school coaches only get four years with their athletes, but Davis has had the unique opportunity to be able to have a few more. He was coaching Rome Middle School’s boys golf team when the majority of the current group of high schoolers came through the program.
“It’s very cool, because they're great kids. The special thing is when you see the improvement and the development that takes place from where they started to where they are now,” Davis says. “And because I love to win. That's the ultimate goal for every coach. But the process, the development, the growth is very rewarding.”
That specialness can be seen in the players too, as they love to hang out and are as much friends as they are teammates.
“It's almost like we're not even a team. It's just like we're hanging out, having fun together like any other day. So, it really just feels normal. And we've been doing it for so long with the same people,” Greer says
“It's not like we only see each other at the golf course. We're hanging out a lot outside of school. You're out there with your friends, your guys, your brothers, and you're just having a lot of fun while you're doing it,” Bushnell says
“On the weekends, we all get together and hang out. And sometimes we'll go to a different golf course and play and just talk and then go out to eat,” Smith says
The goal has always been for the entire team to reach the state tournament. Last season, Rome accomplished it, although the squad needed to go to a playoff at the sectional tournament to get there.
This year, the Wolves took care of state qualifying by placing second at the Area 4-5A Tournament. The Wolves shot a 322, finishing nine strokes behind Alexander, but a solid 10 shots in front of third place Jackson County.
Last year, the Wolves finished eighth at the state tournament. While that was a great finish, it’s obvious the team wants to do better this season.
“Getting a win would be the best. That’s never been done in Rome golf history, so that would be a first,” Greer says. “But the competition there is insanely tough, so we’ve just got to fight through that. And then just go out there and give it our all and hope for the best.”
“I feel like we haven't had two days in a row that have been good. We've had good tournaments, but if we can go out there and have two pretty solid days of golf, I feel that's all we need,” Davis says.
“That first tee shot of the state tournament is so nerve-wracking. You're looking at the fairway, and just the first tee shot is always awful. You’ve got to fight through it and go, and just hit the middle of the fairway,” Smith says.
“I'll echo what Olin said. It's about putting two days back to back. So, the best we've ever shot that this group's ever shot is a 302 at (the) Granger (Invitational). There is no doubt in my mind that we have a sub-300 in us. There's no doubt in my mind that we have the capability to shoot a 290 even,” Davis says. “We've got to do that two days in a row. That's what it's gonna take. So, we've got to hit a lot of fairways.”
Coming into the state tournament four squads that are playing Jekyll shot below 300 to qualify. Milton (278), Roswell (289) and Creekview (283) all advanced out of their area tournaments. Coffee shot a 294 at their area tournament but finished third. Coffee bounced back to shoot 295 at sectionals and became one of the 12 teams to qualify for state. So Davis saying the squad has the capability of shooting that low is key against some tough competition. It should also be noted that those squads played on different courses than Rome did to qualify, and courses can be fickle depending on layout, weather, and other conditions.
Bushnell says a lot of his motivation is about redemption after not having a strong area tournament, but he also says there are a few things they need to do to be in contention.
“It's going to take us not making the small mental errors. We need to make the putts that we need to make. Hit the easy shots,” he says. “Don't mess up on those easy shots, so that when it comes time for the harder shots, you have more confidence and you're more ready for them.”
Davis takes it all in, smiling and then sums it all up succinctly, like all good coaches can.
“Overall, we just need to go compete,” he says.
One of the many positive aspects about the squad that also makes them a dangerous opponent is the ability to overcome bad holes or bad stretches of play.
"I feel like we're really good at the bounce back. A lot of times, we start off our rounds, and we're not playing well. And it drives coach crazy,” Bushnell says. “I think in terms of that, we're really good at turning it around. Like, if we have a bad day on Saturday, we're coming to work on Monday. And I'd say a lot of problems, we can get fixed within the week. I mean, we're really good at throwing it back and just getting back to where we need to be.”
“Yesterday, we had a match play. I was down one, Olan was down one at one point, and at the end of the round, I finished five up on my guy. I'm one up, and he finished four up, so just coming back from those bad moments,” Smith says.
Davis agrees with his charges and even mentions how he’s seen their ability to overcome and persevere firsthand in some tournaments.
“At last year's Cougar Invitational, our front nine was horrible. We were way behind and came all the way back to win it. And I think we were, our top four were like, only like three or four over,” he says. “So when you do that, that's the best lesson about not quitting.”
Of course Davis and his charges want to win it all, but he also knows just how special it is for the team to reach the state tournament in back to back years.
“It means a lot because obviously you want to win it. Our classification, which is stacked, is probably one of the toughest, most talented classifications in any state. To realize we're one of only a handful of teams to make it to state, and then to be one of those teams that is there now back to back and people expect us now to be there. That's huge. That lets you know that you're one of the best,” Davis says. “There's a lot of teams that never get that opportunity. I've been coaching for 32 years, and I've coached four sports, in those 32 years at three different places. I've come close, but I don't have a ring in anything. So it goes to show you that it’s special. And these moments, you have to allow to be special.”
For several seasons now, Davis has known how special the squad is and now they all hope they have two special rounds in them at Jekyll Island.