Newspaper Page Text
The Madison County Journal
INSIDE THIS WEEK
Summer soccer campers
The Madison County Recreation
Department recently held its
annual soccer camp.
2B
IB
Thursday, June 25, 2009
www.MainstreetnewsSPORTS.com
Ben Munro/ ben@mainstreetnews.com (706) 795-2567
Golf fans:
Stick to
clapping
Golf galleries seriously
need a mute button.
No golfer on the PGA tour
can get a shot in without four
blasted words following:
“Get in the hole!”
Golf crowds used to be
known for their polite, prim
and genteel
golf clap.
Leave it to
loudmouths
to min that.
“Get in
the hole”
accompanies
every shot,
even when
it’s not plau
sible for the
ball to reach the green, much
less the bottom of the cup.
Maybe I’m overacting, but
“get in the hole” should be
a USGA offense for sheer
poor taste.
I’ve been hearing this
for at least 10 years, but I
never realized how much the
phrase riled me until watch
ing the U.S. Open last week.
It accompanied every
Tiger Woods swing, even on
par 5s. I started to hear it in
my sleep.
I wish Woods — who’s
been known to scold
bystanders and photogra
phers — would go after
someone with his driver the
next time he hears that.
I suppose “get in the hole”
guy thinks he shares some
symbiotic relationship with
his favorite PGA star.
Golfer hits ball; fan wills it
into the cup for him.
But such cheering just
doesn’t fit with the tempera
ment of golf.
This is the sport that’s
more reverent, proper and
civil than others.
It’s man (or woman) vs.
nature. It's a game of man
ners, precision, etiquette
and quiet. It’s a game where
announcers whisper over
putts.
So golf's compelling
moments - the chip close to
the pin or the nice play out
of the sand trap — should be
accompanied by the sooth
ing pitter-patter of the classic
golf clap.
Not some blowhard yell
ing every time the blade
meets the ball.
Only when someone
drains a 60-foot put or
holes-out an incredible shot,
should the gallery become
boisterous.
Of course, “get in the
hole,” isn’t the only stupid
saying golf fans introduced.
“You da man!” is another
post-shot phrase that I could
live without.
While it’s annoying, it’s
not the finger-nail-down-the-
chalk-board offense that “get
in the hole’’ is.
But I’m fighting a losing
battle on this one.
Whether I like it or not,
golf seems stuck with com
mentary from the gallery.
If "get in the hole’’ isn’t
going away, maybe golf fans
can alter it a bit.
“Relocate rapidly toward
the flag stick!’’
Nah, let’s not.
Perhaps, we should all just
remember one rule: We’re
at a golf tournament. Keep
quiet.
So, you — guy in the
gallery — the next time
Tiger Woods whips a tee
shot down the fairway, use
your hands, not your vocal
chords.
His ball will "get in the
hole!” soon enough.
Ben Munro is a reporter
for The Madison County
Journal
From the
sports
desk
Travel Ball
Local travel ball team
knocks off nationally
ranked foe for title
The Georgia Warriors, a
10-and-under travel ball team,
knocked off undefeated and
nationally-ranked Midway
at the “Battle of the Bats” in
Winder.
By placing first in the Elite
Division, the Warriors qualified
for a spot in the World Series in
Virginia Beach, Va.
The Warriors outscored their
foes 49-15 in their march to
the title.
The team beat Grayson in the
semifinals to earn the champi
onship showdown with nation
ally-ranked Midway.
The Warriors have won their
last two tournaments.
Grason Gillespie, John Pethel
Jr. and Scotty Laugher coach
the team.
The Georgia Warriors, a local 10-and-under travel ball team, recently beat a nationally-ranked
team to win the Battle of the Bats. Submitted photo
Eye on the ball
Courtney Weldon squares to bunt during a hitting camp hosted Friday by the Madison County High School softball
team. Ben Munro/staff
Sports Notes
Rec dept, offering
sports conditioning
camps in July
The Madison County Recreation
Department will offer a sports condi
tioning and speed development camp
for ages 7-and-up.
“Participants of all ages will per
form better in any sport they play after
participating in this camp,’’ organizers
said.
The camp is based on improving
one’s core strength and sprint funda
mentals. The instructor is Aaron James,
a former University of Georgia track
coach, who is the speed development
coach at Athens Christian School. His
— See ‘Conditioning’ on 2B
JACK MAY SIGNS WITH SAVANNAH STATE
Madison County pitcher Jack May signed a Division I baseball scholarship with
Savannah State recently. May (front row, center) is pictured with father, David May
(right); mother, Kelly May (left); and Raider baseball coach Charlie Griffeth (back). Ben
Munro/staff
All-Stars
Madison Co.
all-star teams
announced
The names of the all
stars from Madison
County Little League
have been released as
some teams start play this
weekend.
Madison County Little
League will host the
District Seven 9-and-10-
year-old, 11-and-12 year-
old, Junior League and
Senior League softball
tournaments.
The 9-and-10 and
11 -and-12 tournaments
start Saturday. The Junior
and Senior League tour
naments start Monday.
BASEBALL
9-and-10-year-old
all-stars: Bryce Nix,
Noah Rogers, Caleb
Wilson, Dylan Gentry,
Levi Thompson, Luke
Gillespie, Ethan South,
Evan Drake, Braxton
Legg, Levi Elrod and
Brandey Jones. The man
ager is Travis Legg, and
the coach is Doc Brown.
The team starts pool play
Saturday against Toceoa.
ll-and-12-year-old
all-stars: Ellijah Fleming,
Jared Bates, Zeke
Smallwood, Lee Griffeth,
Christian Dean, Matt
Baughcum, Eric Smith,
Lane Moore, Sam Carey
and Sam Bartlett. The
manager is Dale Fleming,
and the coach is Scott
Carey. The team starts
pool play July 6 against
Habersham National.
Junior League all
stars: Will McCarty,
Will Smith, Keagan
Whittington, Logan
Pace, Zack Pilgrim, Clay
Petty, Hayden Carey,
Christopher Graham,
Tyler Lee, Ethan Smith
and Daniel West. The
manager is David Fields,
and the coach is Dustin
Chandler. The team starts
play Monday against
the winner of Franklin
County and Habersham
County.
Senior league all
stars: Aaron Benner,
Colton Searcy, Jacob
Collins, Hayden Rogers,
James Forrester, Trey
Adams, Trey Threlkeld,
Jacob Kubistky, Zack
Gibby, Daniel Townsend,
Matthew Wooten, Jaocb
Loggins and Conner
Hancock. The manager
is Bryan Wilkes, and
the coaches are Richard
Rogers and Mike
Townsend. The team
starts play Wednesday
against Toceoa.
SOFTBALL
9-and-10-year-old
all-stars: Morgan
Pruitt, Anna McCarty,
Jade Treadwell,
Allie Skelton, Kelsie
Palmer, Ashtyn Bray,
— See ‘All-stars’ on 2B
o