Scotland women’s golf strives for multiple state qualifiers in 2024 | Laurinburg Exchange

LAURINBURG —The game of golf is known to be one of the hardest sports in the world to become a master at, much less good at. Many people may like to go to a driving range and crush some golf balls off a tee but few have the patience and ability to learn all of the technical aspects the game requires to be great.

This year’s women’s golf team at Scotland has that drive (no pun intended, I promise) and desire based on them returning five members who have been on the team at some point before: Claire Smith, Nina Smith, Karli Jacques, Addison Pittman and Delaney Pittman. They also added senior Madison Dixon, who is committed to Wingate University to play softball after graduating at the end of the school year. She has “never ever swung a golf club before,” according to Head Coach Megan Jernigan but is giving golf a try after making the 3A All-State team as part of last year’s dominant softball program and also was on the volleyball team in 2023.

As for the season goal as a team, Jernigan has it as something simple: beat Richmond and Hoke County in order to finish within the top three of the Sandhills Athletic Conference. She has particularly high expectations for senior Claire Smith, who represented Scotland at the North Carolina High School Athletic Association’s 3A Women’s Golf State Championships a season ago.

“Claire is a really good golfer, she was sixth in regionals last year and went to state,” Jernigan said. “I’m hoping she’s going to do the same this year, I think she has a great shot to win regionals this year and go back to state.”

Jernigan also mentioned junior Addison Pittman, who just started to play golf last year as someone she’s keeping an eye on this upcoming season. She is also happy to have Delaney Pittman, who Jernigan described as “a great golfer,” back on the green this fall after she played volleyball last year.

Jernigan feels really good about the potential this year’s group has with the work put in over the summer months. She is hoping a handful of them can qualify for the state championships along with Smith.

“I know they’ve worked hard all summer,” Jernigan said. “I’m hoping that at least four girls can qualify [for states].”

Their lone outing in Laurinburg this season will be Monday, Sept. 9 at 3:00 p.m. at Scotch Meadows Country Club where they will compete in nine holes. The NCHSAA Regionals are scheduled for two days on Oct. 21 and 22 while the state meet is set for a week later on Oct. 28 and 29.