ectacular ending.
The Gilbert High School girls’ golf team finished 4th in the S.C. High School League Class 3A golf championship in just its 3rd season of existence. 
The best part of this story is the details of how this unbelievable result could happen so quickly. 
Dru Nix, a retired educator and longtime SCHSL associate director, had an idea to get a girls’ program started at Gilbert. She had no girls in the community playing at the time, no clubs, no equipment, no course, and it was not funded. 
Many “nos”, but an idea, a passion for golf and a big heart from the start. 
Nix’s start in golf it turns out has quite a foundation. She was roommates at USC-Aiken with Jan Rikard, now Flynn.
“I would shag golf balls at the Polo Field,” Nix remembered. “She would hit balls until her hands bled.  She got really good really quick. We both played volleyball and basketball, but Bobby Foster and Norman Flynn, (who is now husband) talked her into transferring to USC to play golf for they were just getting a new golf  program started. So, she gave her USC Aiken scholarship up to go play golf.
“Now fast forward, 2 years ago, with only clubs and balls donated by the SCJGA that Chris Miller arranged and a pasture we were on our way. We would swing, hit our balls and go pick them up. It wasn’t long and we were invited to [lay at the Ponderosa Country Club. We thought we were in heaven.”
Quick interjection of some facts.  Jan Rikard Flynn was a LPGA Tour player, Norman Flynn was a PGA Tour player, while the Ponderosa Country Club was the seedbed for two current PGA Tour players, Dustin Johnson and Wesley Bryan, for these two were introduced to competition golf through the Tri-County chapter of the SCJGA at this venue. 
Daniel Coyle wrote a book called “Talent Code” that identified unique cultures for seeding world class performers. Coyle highlighted common denominators and specific ingredients that the achievers shared despite being in different parts or the world.
In August of 2016, Coach Nix started with 6 girls in a field that did not qualify as a team for state but something special happened.
”Kaylee Price had just picked up golf and had been playing golf for 8 weeks and she qualified as an individual for the state championship,” recounted a smiling Coach Nix. “In the second year, we qualified as a team and actually placed 9th which was huge. 
“This was big and it meant so much for the team in only the second year.  We had a team that worked really hard and it special for the graduating seniors to have put in the work and experience such success. 
The first two years had been fun, exciting, and just wait until the third.”
Pick up a copy of next week’s article to see how this local golf story gets even better. 
- The Midlands has been a seed bed for numerous amazing golf stories. 
For the small number of golfers in our area, the percentages of those who progress into national prominence at the youth, collegiate, amateur and professional level is stunning. I have experienced based ideas and theories that my intent is to share as we close the year to bring light to just how special our golf community truly is, along with why, in my opinion and how this can happen. 
The “Winter Tour” Registration is open. This youth and family entry-level golf opportunity is all about fun, and family spending time together, over golf. 
This recreation-based program is hosted by the Irmo-Chapin Recreation Commission and is in its 27th season. 
Parents have the option of participating as course guides, caddies, coaches and fans, and even friends can spectate. 
The program operates on Sunday afternoons at 3 p.m. at local golf courses around the Midlands during the winter months. Call (803) 781-2063 for more information.