FROM THE TEE

Break out the shorts

It’s here! It’s here! No, not the Sears Christmas Catalog but the month of March. One of my very favorites since – forever. It’s time to break out the shorts and short-sleeved shirts and head to the golf course.

I cannot let this time slip by without raving about my golf team. This has been a year like none other for me. I’m accustomed to having boys play for the Trojans for two years, but due to COVID-19, I had quite a few for three. This year, I started with only one freshman, two secondyear golfers and five third-year golfers. After this year, only one of the second-year players will remain, along with the freshman. There are going to be a lot of new faces on the practice tee at Willow Point next year.

At the moment, moving on to the next level of college golf are: Hayden Carner, Tanner Guthrie and Dawson Farni. Hayden has committed to Georgia Southern University and Tanner to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Dawson has received an excellent offer at one D-1 NCAA program, but he is waiting to decide between a couple others to be certain. My other graduates are leaning towards attending Auburn University next year, but should the right college golf offer come along, those plans could change.

Signed with CACC for golf next year are: Blayne Armstrong, Cian Hughes, Sam Mitchell, Joseph Vineyard, Noah Small and Elad Sebag. These are six really talented, respectful and excited young men. As always, I have high hopes for the golf team and for their futures.

As we speak, our golf program is in a very enviable position. We are presently ranked second in the NJCAA, Bushnell and Golfstat national polls. Thus far, we’ve had a good year. Five wins, one runner-up and one thirdplace finish. Two of my players have individually won tournaments, and we’ve had over a dozen top-five finishes.

As I wrote this article, we were preparing to head to Tifton, Georgia, for a tournament. In mid-March, CACC will host an event in Foley, Alabama, at Glenlakes Golf Club, and we will finish our regular spring season in Decatur, Alabama, at Burningtree Country Club. Post-season kicks off in mid-April in Guntersville, with our conference championship. Two weeks later, we return to Cullman, Alabama, to play TP Country Club for the Southeastern

District Championship. Once again, our national championship will be hosted in Texas at Odessa Country Club. It would be a thrill to owe these boys a championship ring in mid-May.

At the national championship, I have the privilege of introducing and presenting the NJCAA Golf Hall of Fame Award to my former golfer, Chase Seiffert. Chase is the first of my personal former players whom I have nominated. He played for CACC in 2009-2011; then, he transferred to Florida State. He now competes on the PGA Tour. In the past 10 years, I nominated and was fortunate to induct a couple of Maxi Boles’ players in Paul Tesori and Carl Pettersson. In 2011, I was blessed to have been inducted myself as a coach.

As always, I must confess that my team and I would not be where we are without the love and support of all of you. For my many years as the head coach of the Trojan Golf Team I have looked to you for assistance. You have always been there.

From the Tee Thank you and know that I will always appreciate and love you. As I wrote this article, the television was on Fox News. I am fearful for us all, especially our youth, as to where this initial action of conflict may lead. May God watch over all of those who have been invaded and for the remainder of us on His great Earth. May He give us peace. May He open the eyes of our leaders so that they may make good judgments and impartial decisions to assure the safety of His people and our nation. God bless us all. Dave Jennings

~ Dave Jennings is the men's golf coach at Central Alabama Community College.