Golf—an intricate sport of precision, strategy, and connection, featuring a tiny white ball, long clubs, and expansive courses. A fun game with the potential to go wrong if any details go unnoticed. Often misunderstood and overlooked, yet cherished deeply by those who engage in its joys.
Head coach Ryan Huntze tirelessly dedicates himself to guiding his Tigers toward victory as they face multiple teams in a challenging competition. He continuously encourages and pushes his athletes to be their best.
“It has been six years for me coaching at high school level,” Huntze said. “And this is year six at Texas High also.”
When Coach Huntze started coaching at Texas High, the team had acquired only six boys; now, it has over ten. The Tigers participated in pre-season tournaments, getting ready for the district games.
“At our JV District Tournament on Wednesday, our team tied for second place with Marshall,” Huntze said. “So, we went to hole number nine, which is the par three, and we played my five guys on that hole versus Marshall’s five guys who played that hole.”
A tie often falls outside expectations for a tournament, but protocols exist to determine a winner between the teams. The Tigers made the first move and performed exceptionally well.
“We got to go first, and actually, Grant Spicer almost made a hole in one,” Huntze said. “He hit it to about, you know, a couple inches away and tapped it in for birdie, and that ended up being the way we ended up only winning by one.”
The boys experienced a long and tiring day, yet they persevered with integrity and strength from within.
“We had just finished playing 18 holes all day and played hard,” sophomore Payne Cook said. “Then we went to add up all of the scores and found out that we tied with Marshall.”
The tie-breaker shot required one hole to decide who would take home second place.
“Although we were tired, we knew we had to give it our best,” Cook said. “As we went up to the tee box, Grant Spicher hit first.”
Spicher, a junior, joined the varsity team as a starter from day one. His shot granted the Tigers success.
“His shot landed within a few feet of the pin, which was an amazing feeling,” Cook said. “He then putted it in for birdie which secured us the second place spot.”
Denver Dennard, another junior on varsity, also attended the tie-breaker shot. He started it off for the Tigers.
“Denver was the first to tee, and he hit it left on the green,” junior Grant Spicher said. “Payne was second on the team, and he hit it a little right, then I was up next, and I teed up left because I was hitting right all day.”
With the simple adjustment, Spicher set his team up for the second-place win over Marshall.
“I honestly thought it wasn’t gonna go very well because I hadn’t been hitting it well all day, but I was surprised when it got two feet away from the hole,” Spicher said. “I got a birdie, then we got a par, and Payne got a bogey.”
This success would not exist without the dedication and effort put into hard work throughout the process.
“We’ve been working really hard every day, practicing for hours,” Dennard said. “These tournaments recently have been going very well, and I think that as the rest of the season goes on, we’re definitely gonna get what we work for.”
The boys boast a strong team with great potential, while the girls, though relatively new, improve daily. The district competition for the girls’ team begins on Monday, March 24th, followed by the boys’ team the next week on Monday, March 31st.
“The girls have a really young team, but we’ve gotten a lot better as the year has gone on,” Huntze said. “We’re hoping we can compete for a spot to go to regionals.”
Sophomore Kynlee Henderson is a second-year starter on the girls’ varsity team. If Henderson could choose one word to describe the season thus far, ‘dedication’ would serve as her pick
“As a team, we have to be dedicated to working harder and being able to accomplish our goals,” Henderson said. “Being dedicated to our team can make us stronger and capable of achieving new goals.”
While the team aims for collective goals, individual goals become essential for achieving the team’s objectives.
“My personal goal this season has been to beat my scores from last year and become a better golfer alone,” Henderson said. “The team’s greatest accomplishment would be us placing first in the Northridge tournament.”
Alongside Henderson, Rlyee Hensley competes at the varsity level as a freshman. The two girls collaborate to defeat every opponent.
“I have a goal to improve every year, and I shot my best game so far in the tournament at Northridge Country Club this year,” Hensley said. “I have learned to always be encouraged and encouraging to others no matter what circumstance you are in.”
“Positive attitudes and playing for the pleasure of the game represent the two most important aspects. Engaging with family members can also inspire interest in exploring new activities.
“I started playing golf in 8th grade at TMS, and my family started playing for fun at that time,” Hensley said. “It is something we can all enjoy together, and it is fun to be outside on the course.”
Texas High School athletics allows numerous students to showcase their skills in the sports and extracurricular activities they love.
“I have always been interested in golf but did not get to play until I moved from Genoa to TMS,” Hensley said. “I am glad that TISD offers so many options that are not available at smaller schools.”
