Tag: High School Golf

High school athletes are dying at an alarming rate — and golf hasn’t been spared

Protections for high school athletes are being ignored and kids are dying as a result.

Even though youth sports are a multi-billion-dollar industry, even eclipsing the National Football League, protections for high school athletes are being ignored and kids are dying as a result.

The Louisville Courier-Journal, part of the USA Today Network, did some significant reporting on the topic and found that most states and thousands of high schools don’t have “gold standard” policies in place to protect young athletes. What’s frustrating is that the cost of life-saving equipment, often used as a reason not to implement safeguards, is a tiny fraction of what schools spend on athletics.

Although many have introduced legislation at the state level to fix the problem, it has been routinely defeated or watered down and, according to the paper’s reporting, policies and laws that are in place have little enforcement and are often ignored.

Here’s a blurb from the package, which was entitled “Safer Sidelines.”

Sudden death in high school sports is not a rare occurrence.

It happens multiple times across the nation every year. And sudden cardiac arrest, the leading cause of death in high school athletes, happens once every three days during the school year.

This isn’t just a Kentucky problem or a Midwest problem. It’s not only a big-city problem or a small-town America problem. And it’s not just a football problem.

Athletes collapsing and dying is a national problem ― one that happens again and again, but rarely goes beyond a local news story.

Schools drill for fires and tornadoes because one day, they could happen.

In the last 10 years, seven students have died from a tornado on school property in the U.S.

In the last 10 years, no student has died from a fire at a school.

In the last 10 years, at least 200 students have died playing high school sports.

And that’s a conservative estimate.

While football and other cardio-intensive sports dominate the death rates, golf hasn’t been completely spared.

Tyler Erickson was a senior at Holmes County High School in Bonifay, Florida, and was practicing for an upcoming golf tournament when he was found dead on the course. He was just two days shy of his 18th birthday.

For those who have high school athletes in their families, the paper offered an important series of 10 questions that should be asked of the local school administrators. Among them:

  1. Who determines what sports/events get covered by an athletic trainer and which don’t — and how is that determined?
  2. Who is the point person for emergency situations on the field? In the weight room?

There are many dangers for high school golfers, but heat is often the one that is most prevalent. One part of the in-depth series highlights the four ways that 90% of deaths are caused: head, heart, heat and hemoglobin.

Expanded, those conditions look like catastrophic brain injuries (head), sudden cardiac arrest (heart), exertional heat stroke (heat) and exertional sickling (hemoglobin).

SOURCE USA TODAY Network reporting and research; Korey Stringer Institute, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Which of these 25 nominees will be the USA Today national high school boys golfer of the year?

The winner will be revealed on July 30 during an on-demand broadcast that will feature top athletes.

The USA TODAY High School Sports Awards has announced the 2022-23 All-USA TODAY HSSA Boys Golf Team.

These 25 All-USA Team members will be honored as nominees for national Boys Golfer of the Year. The winner will be revealed on July 30 during an on-demand broadcast that will feature top athletes in 31 boys and girls sports awards categories, as well as special honors like Special Olympics Athlete of the Year, Play of the Year and more. Nominees are posted for the regional and national programs as they are selected. Regional nominees are the best in their area and national nominees are the best high school athletes in the country.

Visit the event website for the latest updates on this year’s event.

High school golfer makes three aces in 24 swings during alumni golf outing

Joseph Maloof, 15, had never made a hole-in-one before this week. Now he has three.

If you have trouble believing this story, don’t feel bad. Joseph Maloof’s own mother thought he was joking when he told her about his day at the Thomas F. Koch ’88 Alumni Golf Outing benefitting Saint Ignatius High School (Cleveland) earlier this week.

The 15-year-old sophomore from Avon, Ohio, is a member of the two-time defending state champion boys golf team at Saint Ignatius and was participating in the annual charity event. Maloof was parked on the 120-yard par-3 16th hole at Lakewood Country Club, and groups in the outing could use his tee shot if they made a $20 donation to charity. Koch passed away while attending the school, and all profits from the event go to a scholarship established in his memory.

Of the 24 groups to use his tee shot, three walked away with a one on the scorecard as Maloof made not one, not two, but three aces during the outing, all with his 50-degree wedge.

“After I finished the outing it didn’t feel real. I came home, took a shower, ate dinner and went to bed like nothing happened that day,” he said. “The next day it started kicking in I’m like, ‘Wow, I really made three holes-in-one?’”

Maloof missed the green with his first two attempts, but on the third he figured out the issue. The Avon, Ohio, native landed his ball just beyond the pin and spun it back into the hole for not just his first hole-in-one of the day, but his first ever.

“The whole group was going crazy and it felt weird because I’ve never experienced or even seen a hole-in-one on TV or with my friends,” said Maloof, a member at Lakewood. “So it felt weird but also felt great because it was my first hole-in-one ever.”

His second hole-in-one came just a few swings after the first, and the final ace was near the end of the day.

“The first one we were all like screaming and shouting. The second one, only me and my teammate Bradley Chill saw it drop. The people that were in the group didn’t see it go in,” Maloof said. “Both of us were just laughing and they didn’t know what was going on until they found out it went in. Then they all started screaming and hugging me.”

Maloof held on to the first two balls he made aces with, but he doesn’t have the third.

“One of the guys told me to hit one of their balls and I made one of theirs. I didn’t want to be rude and say, ‘Can I keep it?’” explained Maloof. “I probably should have.”

Saint Ignatius golf tryouts are next Monday and Maloof is feeling good about his chances of making varsity and helping the Wildcats win a third consecutive state title. After all, he knows a thing or two about three-peats.

Which of these 25 nominees will be national high school girls golfer of the year?

The winner will be revealed on July 30 during an on-demand broadcast that will feature top athletes in 31 categories.

The USA TODAY High School Sports Awards has announced the 2022-23 All-USA TODAY HSSA Girls Golf Team.

These 25 All-USA Team members will be honored as nominees for national Girls Golfer of the Year. The winner will be revealed on July 30 during an on-demand broadcast that will feature top athletes in 31 boys and girls sports awards categories, as well as special honors like Special Olympics Athlete of the Year, Play of the Year and more. Nominees are posted for the regional and national programs as they are selected. Regional nominees are the best in their area and national nominees are the best high school athletes in the country.

Visit the event website for the latest updates on this year’s event.

Amateur Adjacent: Best mid- to high-handicap options similar to Brooks Koepka’s winning bag

While the PGA Championship winner’s setup might work for some, there are more suitable options for amateurs that are in the same brand lineup as Koepka’s.

Brooks Koepka held off the weather, the field, and the tight track at Oak Hill to claim his third PGA Championship, tying notable icons Gene Sarazen and Sam Snead in Wanamaker Trophy history.

For Koepka, it’s a comeback tale that only sports can provide, a one-eighty from injury-plagued seasons that were saturated in doubt.

That’s now in the rearview as the talented golfer secures his fifth major, a solid follow-up act to his 2023 Masters run.

As expected, the national stage always piques amateur golfers’ interest, especially regarding what’s in the bag. And that includes high school golfers who are tinkering with their equipment ahead of the summer practices and the fall seasons—in certain states—after that. 

With that in mind, here’s the full breakdown, which includes other options that might fit higher handicappers a litter better.

For more equipment breakdowns, check out the wonderful work from Golfweek’s gear guru David Dusek.

5 of the best deals on ‘distance and forgiveness’ drivers at PGA TOUR Superstore

Best golf sales ahead of the summer swing takes us to the star of the show: the driver.

Bombing a drive off the tee in golf has become one of the most compelling feats in the sports world. And the rise of equipment technology has allowed amateurs to pull of the long-ball launching—in theory—just like the professionals, which leaves everyone from 20-plus to single-digit handicappers constantly searching for the star of the show: the driver. 

Golfweek’s golf gear expert, David Dusek, broke it down perfectly in his 2023 driver review:

Everyone wants to hit the ball farther and straighter, and with exotic materials like titanium, carbon fiber and tungsten used to make today’s drivers, the dream of more distance can be a reality for many players.

The best way to discover the driver that is best suited to your swing and game is to work with a good custom fitter who has a launch monitor, try several models (along with different shafts) and see which performs best.

Of course, the latter part of that is often given a head-nod, and then ignored, which is usually the same case when discussing the different models available from the top brands in the game.

As it goes, we all want to hit it longer, straighter, and less spinny, and according to the blurbs accompanying the newest releases, the formula has always been cracked and rests within THIS year’s model.

But in reality, the drivers available from prior years pack just as much technology that can help a wide demo of golfers—including those in high school, and, as we’ll note below, even Collin Morikawa.

With in mind, here our are top picks from the sale rack at PGA TOUR Superstore.

Most state championships in boys high school golf history

The best of the best throughout boys high school golf history.

The Masters always adds an extra level of excitement for the game of golf, sort of the opening ceremony to the tee times that will continue into the summer and early fall.

And while the pros take on the iconic track at Augusta National, we decided to let our golf fandom turn toward the historical vault for a look at the great generations of high school teams throughout history.

If state championships are the barometer, few can argue that these nine boys teams don’t belong in the “greatest of all time” conversations.

Let’s tee it up…

(Data collected via NFHS archives and state association updates)

Ed Repulski, who coached a Florida high school golf team for 40 years, and was the first athletic director, first basketball coach, one of its first teachers, dies

When there was a question about golf, no one consulted a rule book. They consulted with Repulski.

SARASOTA, Fla. – To friends and colleagues at his beloved Riverview High School, he was “The Ripper.”

But to the only child of Ed Repulski, he was, simply, “Ace.” Walking the hallways of Riverview, Ram student Jill Strafaci often would see her father. “But I couldn’t yell, ‘hey, dad’ down the hallway every time,” she said. “So, I called him Ace.”

When it came to the school of which Ed Repulski was the first athletic director, first basketball coach, one of its first teachers, and founder of the Ram golf program, Ace was all heart.

“His blood is the color of Riverview,” Joyce, his wife, said in a 2018 story on Repulski. “He just adored the school, and nowadays, the kind of loyalty that he had for it is, I think, non-existent.”

And the school that adored Ed Repulski today is in mourning. The man who coached the Ram boys team for nearly 40 years and won more than 600 matches, died peacefully Saturday at his assisted living facility at age 93.

The news of Repulski’s passing came as a shock to John Sprague, who replaced him as Riverview boys golf coach in 2011. Sprague visited Repulski two months ago and said his mind was clear, recalling people and places. “I was shocked,” Sprague said. “He was pretty sharp. I spent thousands of hours with that guy at Riverview. Tell you what, it felt good to talk to him.

“Mr. Ram. He was there the day they opened the doors at Riverview.”

Hired by school principal Ed Brown to coach football and serve as athletic director, Repulski arrived in Sarasota in 1958. And while his Ram football and, later, basketball teams didn’t flourish, the golf program he founded grew and succeeded under his leadership.

Under Repulski, the Ram boys won two state titles, two runners-up and 12 district crowns. He got Jill started in the sport and it paid off with a golf scholarship to Florida, where Strafaci was a four-year letter-winner on the Lady Gator golf team. Her son, Tyler, is a pro golfer who in 2020 won the U.S. Amateur Championship.

Golf was Repulski’s passion and it showed in his commitment to the sport. He was a three-time Florida Golf Coach of the Year, and three times won the District Golf Coach of the Year award, as chosen by the National High School Athletics Coaches Association.

He served 16 years as the state golf chairman for the Florida Athletic Coaches Association (FACA), and in 1990, was inducted into the FACA Hall of Fame.

Sprague said that whenever the Florida High School Activities Association had a question about golf, they didn’t consult a rule book. They consulted with Repulski. The state golf tournament regularly was held at Bent Tree Golf Course. Why? “Because he did a great job,” Sprague said. “He had them organized.”

Away from the golf course, Repulski served as an FHSAA official in basketball for 22 years, football for six and baseball for one. Strafaci said it was common for her to do homework in the stands while her dad officiated a basketball game. He left teaching and coaching for a year to work in the Riverview administration. And only for a year.

“He just didn’t like it because he was away from his kids,” Strafaci said, “and he wanted to get back to teaching.” Her dad’s legacy, she said, is easy. “The kids,” she said. “The kids were really important to him.”

As Ed Repulski was to them.

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Austin-area golf course books strip club tournament, high school practice on same day

Practice was canceled that day and the following day while school staffers worked to get clarity.

Vista Ridge High School golf team members who arrived at Avery Ranch Golf Course for practice earlier this week were surprised when a local adult entertainment club was conducting its annual charity tournament.

According to a report from KXAN-TV in Austin, Vista Ridge golf coach and assistant athletic coordinator Keith Allen sent a letter home to parents explaining the situation. The letter said those conducting the Yellow Rose Cabaret’s annual charity golf tournament were “acting very inappropriately” and that the team’s golfers “did witness some lewd behavior.”

Practice was canceled that day and the following day while school staffers worked to get clarity from the golf course’s management team about the incident.

On Tuesday, according to KXAN, school staffers did talk with Avery Ranch management. According to a letter sent to parents, Avery Ranch’s owner/GM Adam Owen said that he did not condone any inappropriate behavior and noted the course would not host the event in the future.

Also in the note, the coach said the high school — which sits about 30 minutes north of Austin — has had a “20-year positive working relationship with Avery Ranch,” and added that golf course management was “very apologetic” about the incident.

“We are sorry this happened and appreciate your support as we work to restore trust with our players and families,” the note from Allen to parents said. “What occurred yesterday is not acceptable and we will work closely with Avery Ranch to ensure this never happens again.”

Calls from Golfweek to the school district’s media relations department and the coach went unanswered.

The Yellow Rose Cabaret posted to its Facebook page after the incident.

“Any attempt by the golf course any attempt the fein surprise an to the adult nature of the tournament is disingenuous. This was their mistake,” the post said.


The post went on to say this was a private event and the adult club had rented the course for the entire day.

“The Yellow Rose has played their annual (sic) charity golf tournament at Avery Ranch for the last four years. Avery Ranch is a private golf course and The Yellow Rose rents the entire course for the whole day. This tournament was no different than any previous tournament. This is a tournament for adults and no children were allowed on the course at any time while it was being played. The high school golfers were only on the driving range not the actual course. This is an area our marshals did not and were not supposed to supervise. We were completely unaware that the golf course scheduled a high school practice at the same time as the Yellow Rose Tournament,” the post said.

The councilmember who represents the area told Fox News that inappropriate behavior was viewed by the athletes.

“I started receiving complaints from constituents about what had happened,” Austin City Council Member Mackenzie Kelly told Fox News Digital on Thursday. “I don’t believe that any student should be exposed to that type of behavior that was happening out at the golf club that day. I’ve seen photos of women who were topless, in g-strings, passing out alcohol. I’ve been told that there were women dancing on top of golf carts without clothing on.”

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Happy Gilmore — yes that’s his name — competing for Indiana high school boys golf state title

Like Sandler’s character, one of Gilmore’s strengths is his driver.

Yes, he understands the reaction. Happy Gilmore? It has to be a misprint. Maybe a joke.

Happy Gilmore? No way.

“Sometimes, when I first introduce myself, they will look at me funny,” said Gilmore, a star golfer Bloomington South (Indiana) high school. “But if my golf bag is there and has my name on it, that will kind of help a little bit. But it never fails. At some point they will ask me, ‘Is that your real name?’ or ‘How did you get that name?’ Something along those lines.”

His given name is Landon. But Happy, a 16-year-old sophomore, started to go by “Happy” as a nickname when he was about 6 and started playing in golf tournaments — a golfer with the last name Gilmore is too easy, right?

Bloomington South’s Happy Gilmore hits a shot during the IHSAA boys’ golf sectional at Cascades Golf Course on Monday, June 6, 2022. (Photo by Bobby Goddin/Herald-Times)

“My mom said it was before this, but I really remember it when I was like 9 years old,” he said. “Then when I was like 13, I started going by ‘Happy’ all the time.”

Gilmore, unlike Adam Sandler’s character in the 1996 movie “Happy Gilmore”, is not a hockey player/turned golfer. “I can’t skate,” he said. But he can golf. In fact, Gilmore tied for eighth in the state last year as a freshman. His Bloomington South team, which finished fourth at the Indiana state championship last year, will be one of the teams to watch when the two-day IHSAA state meet begins Tuesday at Prairie View Golf Club in Carmel, Indiana.

“The last third of our season I’ve been playing very well,” said Gilmore, who tied for second in the regional with an even-par 72. “It’s definitely about the best I’ve felt on a golf course, probably in my life.”

Gilmore earned some national publicity after he shot an 80 in a U.S. Open qualifier at Old Oakland Golf Club. The “Shooter McGavin” Twitter account (named after Christopher McDonald’s villainous character in the movie), has also taken note. “If anyone sees this kid, tell him I’d love to meet him tonight on the 9th green at 9” he tweeted to his 437,000-plus followers last month.

Gilmore can imitate Sandler’s tee shots in the movie, though he admits he has not practiced the run-up-to-the-ball routine recently.

“I haven’t done it for a while so I’m probably a little bit rusty,” he said. “But just give me a couple of balls, and I can usually make pretty good contact.”

Like Sandler’s character, one of Gilmore’s strengths is his driver.

“I’m pretty long (off the tee),” he said. “Here lately I’ve been struggling with my driver, but typically I’m very good off the tee and my putting is usually pretty good. I’ve been working hard on getting my wedges up because my irons are decent, but my strong suits are definitely off the tee and off the green.”

“I don’t think it adds any pressure to me,” Gilmore said of his name. “But I do know that whatever I do is going to be seen. Especially as far as leaderboards when people are scrolling down and see ‘Happy Gilmore’ they are going to look at it, obviously. So I do know that, but I don’t let it get in my head or that I have to play good because of it. I just go out and do my thing.”

Hopefully, for Gilmore, that involves getting the ball to its home the next two days.

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