Empty tee box: Girls golf teams once roamed Southeast Missouri's sports scene

Girls golf is missing from the high school sports scene in most of Southeast Missouri

Southeast Missourian

More than 25 years ago girls high school golf teams were scattered across Southeast Missouri, with the quality of competition strong enough to produce two teams that placed in the top four at the state tournament and several collegiate golfers.

Central started a girls golf team during the mid-1970s, and the squad has as many top-four state finishes as the boys team, with a fourth-place finish in 1977 and a second in 1979.

"At that time there were quite a few teams [around the area]," said Dick Wadlington, the current Central boys coach who also coached the Central girls teams.

The popularity of women's golf on a national stage has increased over the past 20 years -- more dramatically over the past five years -- but the girls high school golf teams have all but vanished throughout the area.

Tightened budgets and a lack of participation took its toll on many of the programs. Central's program ended about 1982. Today, the closest high school girls golf team can be found 80 miles to the north in Farmington, Mo.

With this year's girls golf season already under way, there does not appear to be any high school girls golf programs on the horizon in this area. During the summer, a local junior series with more than 40 participants had just one female player --from Poplar Bluff, Mo.

"I don't know whether there's a lot of young girls playing right now," Wadlington said. "These young girls are sharp and see they can't play golf in high school, so they work on tennis or other sports."

Jack Connell, director of golf at Dalhousie and series director for the Gateway PGA Southeast Missouri Junior Series, said he has not seen any interest from high school girls in the area.

"I don't think there is enough high school girls [playing]," he said. "It seems like there's a lot of 9-, 10- and 11-year-olds for some reason. Unfortunately, there's still not enough at the high school age."

Added Connell: "It's something for the future. Hopefully they'll keep involved and stay interested in it. But they're going to need a program or they're going to have to be good enough to play on the boys team when they get that age."

For Central and Jackson, the two largest high schools in the area, the girls fall schedule already includes tennis, cross country, softball and volleyball. Nearly every area school offers volleyball in the fall, and many Southeast Missouri schools have both softball and volleyball.

Statewide, there are more than 400 volleyball and softball programs compared to just 151 girls golf programs. Girls tennis is only slightly more popular on a state level with 171 programs, while girls swimming is the only Missouri State High School Activities Association sport with less girls programs at 105.

Meanwhile, there are 318 boys golf programs. Basketball has the highest participation among girls sports with 535 programs across the state.

"We may have had an interest with an individual or a couple of individuals," Jackson athletic director Kevin Bohnert said. "They play in the fall, and that's a pretty busy season."

The Missouri High School Activities Association tried to alleviate some of the congestion on the girls' fall schedule by putting a proposal on its spring ballot to switch the boys and girls tennis seasons. The proposal, voted on by MSHSAA members, failed.

Still, with five golf courses in Cape Girardeau County and numerous courses located throughout the area, reviving girls golf would seem possible.

Wadlington said he could see girls golf returning at several schools around the area.

"I think if you can convince the right people in the school district to get it started, I think it could be done again," Wadlington said.

He added: "I think it would be great. I've been one of the strongest advocates for girls golf for 25 years. Personally, I'd like to see it going again."

While there are not many options for girls wanting to play high school golf -- girls can play for boys teams but must hit from the same tee box -- there are plenty of opportunities outside of school.

Wadlington said the visibility of women's golf has increased dramatically, especially with a wave of teenagers having success on the LPGA Tour.

From 15-year-old phenom Michelle Wie to 19-year-old Evian Master's champion Paula Creamer, it is clear women's golf is catching on among the youth in the United States.

"I think there's so much more on television, so much more of a following than there was 25 years ago," Wadlington said. "Having the young lady from England [Karen Stupples] that plays for Dalhousie has brought a lot of interest in the area."

Women's golf teams have increased at the collegiate level, something that could add incentive for high school girls to take up the sport. Over the last 20 years the number of NCAA Division I golf programs has increased from 80 to 228. In all, there are 482 NCAA women's golf programs.

"Not too many years ago there weren't as many colleges with women's golf," Connell said. "Those things can add interest and motivation for young girls."