ROCKINGHAM - The high school golf season officially wrapped up last week in the 4A NCHSAA state championship at Pinehurst Resort No. 3, and with it, Richmond head coach Keith Parson’s first season at the helm.
The Lady Raider golf season was a wild roller coaster of postponements, cancellations and shortened matches due to an assortment of weather issues, but one thing that was consistent was the team’s play. In all of their matches, the Lady Raiders finished third behind Sandhills Athletic Conference opponents Pinecrest and Jack Britt high schools.
Not only was it Parsons’ first season on the course, but the bulk of his team was made first-year players, including a trio of freshmen in Kenleigh Frye, Kirsten McDonald and Taylor Young, as well as some new senior faces.
Richmond was led by three-year veteran and top scorer Hailey Miller, who capped off her junior season with a T29 finish in the state championship (171, +31), which was significantly better than her 74th place finish a year ago (196, +52). Joining Miller in the regional round was senior Natalie Davis, who ended her career with a strong back nine despite not qualifying for states.
“I think we certainly exceeded our season goals as a team in all aspects,” Parsons noted of the season in review. “We had eight golfers and qualified as a team for each match that allowed us to finish third in the conference. Hailey was able to qualify for the state tournament again, and was a lot better and was really excited about her overall progress. I’m sure she’ll never forget her first hole in one and the stage she did it on was incredible. As our best player, she led team and had a great season.
“I didn’t know what to expect from my three freshmen, but they all had great seasons and participated in the tournaments,” Parsons added. “They really improved throughout the season. Jessi Graham, Gabby Paone, Kylie McDonald and Natalie were our seniors, and because of some academic quirks, which is obviously very important, they missed some matches, but were able to participate.”
Although this season marked Parsons’ first coaching the golf team and it’s his first year in a classroom at Richmond, he’s no stranger to the sport. He was a member of the Raider golf team (1984-1987), and spent time around the Elon University men’s golf team as an undergraduate. His prior experience with the sport, coupled with his familiarity with Richmond allowed him to navigate his inaugural season with ease.
“One thing that helped me was I knew everybody on the team -- whether it was from coaching them in recreational sports or being friends of my daughter Emily,” Parson noted. “I went on my experiences from high school and college and tried to stick to that -- I always tried to help when I could. The learning curve wasn’t that steep.
“Golf is a team sport, but it’s much more individualistic than others,” he continued. “We don’t come out here and run and condition, it’s a much more mental game. There were times where I recognized to help my players with their mentality and give them what they wanted and needed. But there were times, too, when I realized it was better for them to work it out on their own.”
There were many moments, both individual and team, throughout the season that Parsons said will stick with him. But none of them are as clear as the team’s first match at Bayonet Golf Course at Puppy Creek in Raeford, N.C., on Tuesday, Sept. 4.
“At our first match, I had no idea what to expect,” Parsons explained. “We had three freshmen playing their first match with that type of competition, but I saw really good results. It may be unfair to look at end results -- instead I looked at the individual moments. In the game of golf, it’s those good couple of holes or shots that can show how well someone played.
“The big thing was that we got off to a good start, and proved that we were solidly the third best team in the conference,” he said. “Also, it was fun to see Hailey have a really solid first round in state tournament, and she may have wanted to finish better, but hanging around for 18 holes the second day and making quality shots showed her true potential.”
The season may have just ended, and Parsons is gearing up to coach basketball at Hamlet Middle School, but he’s also excited to get back on the course with the Lady Raiders next fall.
“The biggest takeaway from this season was how excited our players were to practice and play,” Parsons said. “They all got along and showed great team unity. Every player had an opportunity to relax on the course and being together made for a good season.
“We could not have had a better partner than Foxfire -- they took care of us and I really thank them for everything they did,” the head coach concluded of Richmond’s home course. “We have a bright outlook moving forward. It will be Hailey’s senior year and I know she’s playing in some tournaments this winter. It will be great to see what she can accomplish, and I can’t wait to see what we can get from our sophomores next year. We’re always looking for more players, but we are set up for a great season next year.”
