FALL SPORTS PREVIEW: Wayne Christian girls' golf

By News-Argus Staff
Published in Sports on August 17, 2017 6:00 AM

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By JUSTIN HAYES

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Quality over all else.

That's really the only way to adequately describe the varsity girls' golf program at Wayne Christian, now in its second tour of duty under athletic director Mike Buddin.   

In every appearance, from uber-detailed short-game drills to the development of a reliable, under-the-gun preshot routine to a schedule of 12 matches, Buddin and Co. have managed to create something quite rare in eastern North Carolina -- a tried-and-true, year-in and year-out golf program.

"We're growing," the coach remarked in an interview last week. "That's what we're trying to do -- grow the sport."

But the school's current position didn't develop out of thin air; it needed proper assistance.    

A few years ago, as Buddin was trying to develop WC's official prep golf identity, many pieces of the puzzle were missing -- chief among them being a schedule, which was ultimately formed with the help of good friend.

"Shay Campbell at Rosewood -- if it wasn't for him, I don't know what we would do," Buddin noted. We would have to go to the other side of Raleigh to play people... (even) when we weren't competitive, they still let us join in and have been super nice to us."

And the players have benefited greatly.  

This year's blue-and-navy edition returns five players from a season ago, and will likely be led by sophomore Grace Buddin. The Eagles will balance the remainder of their lineup Annalise Fitzmorris, Brianna Verme, Caroline Jones, Page Court and Karsyn Hinnant, a transfer from nearby Wayne Country Day.

But the program, in all honesty, is about so much more than who cards the lowest score and piles up wins.

It's about character-building.

"In golf, you call your own penalties," Buddin said. "It's a game of honesty and integrity -- and we're trying to make Wayne Christian something special."

And in many ways, it seems, they already are.