There’s an old saying out on the links.
“The biggest thing is short game, right?” says Summit High senior Jace Melby, followed right after by junior Hogan Tobias: “Drive for show, putt for dough.”
Hogan was winning all the (figurative) dough this Tuesday when he shot a 78, earning him second overall at the Woodland Park tournament. It was his best finish in three years on the team.
“On the first tee I’m shaking a little bit,” Hogan says of the nerves he battles at every tournament, big or small. “Everybody’s watching you. But you just gotta put it in play. By the second hole I’m feeling great.”
Jace was right behind him at the Woodland tourney, shooting 81. Together, they led the Tigers team to its first tournament win of the season.
But, ever the critic, Jace was still thinking about where his game fell short – he wasn’t putting on a show.
“Tee shots was where I struggled yesterday,” he says. “If we can get those straightened out, I’ll be shooting under par, hopefully, some day.”
These two are lifelong golfers. Jace started at age four. Hogan’s dad is Phil Tobias, the golf pro at Keystone Ranch, where the boys host their annual home tournament Sept. 12.
Both have big goals for the season. They’re committed to making the state tournament, but they know it will take more than solo play.
“Leadership, and showing kids how I play,” Hogan says. “Hopefully they can learn more off of that. And just showing them what’s important in golf.
Which is?
“Putting and chipping,” he laughs.
Jace, the senior, is already eyeing the future.
“Enjoy the team. Have fun. Improve myself as a golfer, of course,” he says. “I hope I can take it further, you know? Golf is what I love, and so I hope I can spend the rest of my life doing something surrounding golf.”
The Summit High golf team is back on course this coming Monday, Sept. 26 at Overland Park in Denver.
This is THE WARMUP from iFurnish in Frisco and Kremmling.