Sam Holmes has hit an ace before. He’s had double eagles. He’s played at Bethpage Black, home of the 2002 and 2009 U.S. Open. They’re experiences that some high school golfers might never see, and only dare to imagine. But even with all of that, he didn’t see a state title coming.
“We had some high expectations going into this year. We’d had a pretty solid year in 2015, and we had some guys coming back. I knew we were going to have a really good year, but I didn’t know it was going to be this good.”
CLICK HERE TO VOTE FOR HOLMES — CLICK HERE FOR ALL 1 AWARDS NOMINEES
With temperatures in the low 50s, wind approaching 15 miles per hour and rain pouring down a full inch of wet stuff, this year’s Class 4 golf championship at Silo Ridge this past May could’ve been anyone’s to claim. But Glendale had been rolling from the start of postseason play, and even the slowest of greens had no impact on Holmes and the Falcons.
“The conditions were brutal all day,” he said. “Rainy and windy. It was tough. I wasn’t making too many putts or birdies, but I never dug myself too much of a hole.”
In fact, Holmes finished tied for fifth (74, 79) with a 153, the highest individual finish for a Falcon team that ran away with the title by a full six strokes over Rockhurst. His fifth-place finish was a vast improvement over 2015, when he finished tied for 34th (78, 77).
“I’ve just gotten more consistent,” Holmes said. “Especially in my mental game. Just being able to forget bad shots and focus on one shot at a time. That comes with experience and practice. You cant try and go into a round saying you’re going to forget the bad shots. They’re always going to bother you. You just have to learn to move on.”
Holmes did just that, maybe in part due to Dustin Johnson.
“I look up to [Johnson],” Holmes said. “Especially his demeanor on the golf course. He’s even-keeled and doesn’t get too upset over a bad shot.”
Even ahead of this year's state championship, Holmes had already helped lead his Falcons to a district title with an individual seventh-place finish (+5), followed by a sectional title with another individual seventh-place finish (+4), experiences he appreciated even more thanks to the relationship with his teammates.
“We’ve all known each other for a long time,” he said. “We’ve been pretty good friends for a while.”
Now, Holmes is ready to carry his hot stretch and improved game to the collegiate level at Missouri State, where the rising freshman will join Glendale teammate Christopher Obert on scholarship for MSU golf and head coach Neal Stafford.
“I’ve always wanted to play college golf,” Holmes said. “I’m just happy all my hard work has paid off and I’m playing for a school I really feel comfortable with.”
The Bears offered Holmes that scholarship last summer while the then rising senior was also fielding offers from Nebraska-Omaha, Drury University, Columbia College and the University of Central Missouri.
“I just really liked [coach Stafford],” he said. “He’s a really nice guy. I could tell he was really into winning and improving everyone’s game. It’s local and I really like the program there. Plus, I knew most of the guys on the team already.”
It’s an appropriate next step for Holmes, who’s been playing the sport since he was three years old and is the son of a man who’s been a golf pro at multiple private courses, including Highland Springs Country Club in Springfield.
“He’s been my teacher my whole life,” Holmes said of his dad. "It’s nice having him around whenever I want. He still beats me a couple times. We have some friendly matches that are pretty fun.”
