Pictured are Easley High School senior golfers Jace Danbom, Cooper Wilson, Hudson Clary, Hayes Porter and Coach Sean Thomas Faulkner.
Jeff Holt | The Easley Progress
EASLEY — Last week, you could have thrown the scorecards in the water at the Smithfield Country Club.
It just didn’t matter.
It was more about Senior Day for the Easley High School boys golf team. Green Wave seniors Jace Danbom, Cooper Wilson, Hudson Clary and Hayes Porter took center stage in a triangular meet with Greenville and Woodmont.
It’s a senior-led team for Easley, too.
“I’ve played with them all since seventh-grade, so it is kind of like one last run (to go to state) since we didn’t go to state last year,” said Danbom, who has received an Acceptance Letter for the North-South All-Star Boys Golf Match to be played May 23-25 at Diamondback Golf Club in Loris. “I know them outside of golf so it is like a family.”
Danbom is planning to attend Middle Tennessee State next year to become a commercial pilot. He currently has a 3.7 grade point average in the classroom. “It’s something (becoming a pilot) that I’ve always been interested in and something that I enjoy,” said Danbom.
Added EHS golf coach Sean Thomas Faulkner, “I have nothing but great things to say about all of them. They are just great kids on the course and in the classroom. They are a tight group. They all hang out together outside of golf. They are a great group for a young coach to come in with a lot kids who have played a long time to kind of guide me.”
The big highlight this season for the Green Wave team was a second-place finish at the Pickens Invitational, along with a fifth-place effort at the Yellow Jacket Invitational and an eighth-place finish at the Red Raider Preseason Tournament.
Porter, known for going the extra mile on the golf course, is planning to continue his education at Clemson University. He wants to do cyber security.
“I haven’t been on varsity as long as them (the other seniors),” said Porter. “Jace and Hudson have really helped me out with my golf game over the years. I try to practice as much as I can to catch up to these guys because they have been playing longer than I have. I just love the game.”
Continued Porter, “We need to make it to state again and put Easley back on the map.”
Wilson is one of those types of golfers every coach would love to have on his team. He’s got that team-first mentality.
“I really enjoyed the players I played with,” Wilson said. “My team was amazing. We’re all great people and they are all like really positive. My coaches were great. The last five years, it was very enjoyable playing with them. I just tried to help everybody out with what they were needing help with. I felt like our golf game was a team effort … there were no individuals.”
Wilson said he’ll always remember earlier this season at Smithfield’s when he and Jace both birdied hole No. 3, and they both almost holed out.
Last but not least is Clary who keeps the team loose with an upbeat attitude and a sense of humor. He is planning to go to an internship in Georgia that is church-related and to help build the ministry.
“Growing up, I took golf so serious and I felt like it hurt me,” Clary said. “I just learned to laugh at the bad shots, put a smile on my face and not be upset about it. Playing golf is better than school or work. I’m super proud of all the seniors and it is an honor to get to play with them. They are some of my best friends and I hope to play golf with them for a really long time. I’m the guy who will try to get the team to laugh in a serious moment, and try to lighten the mood. When I’m walking, I’m gonna talk and crack jokes. It is my personality. I like to bring joy to the room.”
Other notes: Tip Price, a senior at Greenville, is in his sixth year of varsity golf and is going to play at Clemson University next season on a scholarship. “A great kid and a very good player in going to Clemson,” said Greenville coach David Cattrell. “We have six seniors this year who have been with us for a long time and they have all been very good. We have a bunch of ninth-graders that are really good and some middle schoolers.”
Some of the top golfers did not even play for a “loaded” Greenville golf team.
Reach Jeff Holt at 864-855-0355.