It came off nearly a week later than originally scheduled, but for North Forsyth’s golf teams, the first ever Forsyth County championship couldn’t have come at a better time.

The Raider boys and girls both came away with wins during Wednesday’s event, which gathered all four local high schools at Hawks Ridge Golf Club in Ball Ground.

The championship, played on the club’s executive par-3 course, was originally scheduled for the previous Thursday, but had to be rescheduled due to rain.

North’s girls topped Forsyth Central by 10 strokes to take home the title, while the Raider boys won a much closer tally, topping Central by three strokes. All four boys teams finished within 10 strokes of each other.

It was the first 18-hole win for either North program this season.

“I think the feel was let’s go out and win one for a change. I think that’s the biggest thing we talked about on Wednesday,” North boys coach Nathan Turner said, noting that North’s teams had recorded top-10 finishes this year without taking home any wins.

The top medalist on the girls side was North’s Hannah Earle, who carded a 3-over 57 which included a hole-in-one on the 10th.

Turner said that after going several years as a coach without seeing an ace at the high school level, he witnessed two within a half hour on Wednesday — Earle’s, as well as one by West Forsyth’s Davis Flynt on the second hole.

Earle’s 57 paired with Trevor McConnell’s 88 to give North a winning score of 145.

On the boys side, the low scoring honor was a tie between North’s Jake Edwards and Central’s Zach Caldwell, who both turned in 1-over scores of 55.

Edwards’ score joined with those of teammates Travis Roe (59) and CJ Evans (60) for a winning team tally of 174.
Turner said the boys team spent the previous day simulating the conditions they’d encounter on a par-3 course by heading to Countryland Golf Club and playing every pin from 100 yards out, approximately the same length as most par-3’s.

Turner said his boys benefited from the fact that traditional county power South Forsyth was playing without some of its best golfers.

“We knew we had to take advantage of an opportunity with South having some holes in the lineup,” the coach said.
Turner said he was happy with the way his kids adjusted to the different approach a par-3 course necessitates, where the first shot off the tee and putting take on supreme importance.

After the initial rainout, Turner said rescheduling the event was a concern, with the course hosting several professionals in advance of the Masters.

“We really pumped this thing and built it up as it was going to be something special for the kids of the county ... and the Hawks Ridge staff was able to pull it off and get us in there on Wednesday,” he said.

Turner, who was one of the event’s primary organizers along with Central boys coach Sid Bramblett, said he hopes the event will continue to be held at Hawks Ridge in future seasons. Next year, the county championships will likely be broken up over two days with Lambert High’s addition to the county scene.