Summer 2008 is here!

Open Practice dates

For those of you inclined to work with Coach Cook on your game this summer, please feel free to meet with him at the Hooch Golf Club from 8:30a until 11:30a on the following dates (all Wednesdays):

June 11th

June 25th

July 9th

July 16th

July 23rd

Now, here are the catches. First, you must e-mail me in advance to let me know you're coming. Essentially, if no one shows an interest in working on their skills, Coach will be at home working on next year's tryout rules sheet. Second, you must pay for your own golf balls! If you want coach to work on your swing with you for three hours, you'll be buying a lot of range tokens. If you want to hone your putting stroke for three hours, you'll have money left over for a couple of bottled waters, snacks, lunch, etc. Third, this is completely non-mandatory...some of you are so busy that it would be impossible to make it to one of these sessions. I understand and that's fine. Fourth, you must provide your own transportation to/from the course and it must be pre-planned. Coach will not be waiting for mom/dad to pick you up after our team time has expired!

Playing Summer Tournament Golf

Although you may not have realized it, many of you are playing the same Atlanta Junior, Georgia PGA, or American Junior events this summer. The following are some Atlanta Junior sites where multiple SPX players are lumped together:

Mystery Valley

Towne Lake Hills

CC of Roswell (5 Pius guys!)

Dunwoody (4)

Rivermont (5)

Marietta CC (4)

Druid Hills (4)

SmokeRise (5)

If you'd like more specifics, contact Coach Cook via e-mail.

Who are these guys?

Some interesting pictures of the fellas....click here

Looking ahead to 2009

Big Changes - We will be moving to Region 5-AAA

Given the new GHSA regions/classifications, Golden Lion Golf now becomes a prohibitive favorite to win our region and be a major contender for a State Championship. Other AAA teams of note (in no particular order, w/ 2008 State Results in parentheses) are Columbus (2nd), West Laurens (3rd), Woodward (5th in 4-A), Lumpkin County (6th) and North Hall (4th).

Despite this change in region/classification structure, we expect to play much the same competitive schedule that has made us so successful over the past few years.

Must Adds For the Summer "To-Do" List

Establish a USGA-GHIN official handicap.

Create an off-season tournament golf resume.

Build a sound, reliable, repeating golf swing.

Attend as many of the once-a-week summer practices as possible (more details to follow).

Tryout Exemptions for 2009

Exemptions will only be earned by accomplishing the following:

A top-25 finish from the 2008 GHSA State Championship or a top-25 finish at the GSGA State Championship
A top-4 finish from the SPX Summer Golf Academy at Ocean Hammock
A victory at a major regional tournament/qualifying event (i.e. USGA Jr., SJGT, ATL Grand Championship)

THe new 2009 Q-School Format:

Due to a variety of factors, expect the 2009 tryout process to be considerably more competitive than in past years. Some critical points of information:

Q-School will be held from 2/2/09 at the Hooch Golf Club in Duluth.
A five-day event, players could possibly play up to five rounds.
The best three rounds a player posts would count toward an aggregate Q-Score.
To make varsity, golfers must post 105 or lower (given expected February weather and course conditions).
To make JV, Freshman/Sophomore golfers must post 125 or lower.
Candidates unable to adhere to Coach Cook's Basic Standards of Golf (pace, etiquette, skill) may (and likely will) be cut after the first day of tryouts. Under the new Q-School format, a candidate golfer may be cut at any time during the process.