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Columbia’s Ty Folsom is once again the LCR’s Boys Golfer of the Year. (COURTESY)
Ty Folsom improved his golf game with a new mental edge.
He changed his approach for his senior season and he put together his best campaign yet.
Folsom once again wasn’t just Columbia’s No. 1 golfer but also the top golfer in the area. He posted an area-best 33.3 nine-hole average, was runner-up in District 2-3A, fourth in Region 1-3A and 10th in Class 3A.
For the second straight season, Folsom is the LCR’s Boys Golfer of the Year.
“I felt like all year I was super consistent,” Folsom said. “I had low scores all the time. It went really well this year.”
Folsom dropped his nine-hole average more than five strokes from 38.5 in his junior season. The biggest reason? His mental approach.
Columbia’s top golfer was locked in from the moment the season started.
“I was a whole lot more focused in matches this year,” Folsom said. “That was probably the biggest thing for me.”
Columbia head coach Chase Hagler noticed it from the very first round. Folsom shot a 4-under against Branford in the season opener, and Hagler could tell there was a different look in his golfer’s eyes.
He knew Folsom was in for a pretty special year.
“From the jump in the first match he shot 4-under and he kind of kept that pace throughout the year,” Hagler said. “He was our go-to guy all year. I never had to worry about him shooting a low score. He was Mr. Consistency this year, and in all facets of his game he improved from last year.”
The first big stage of the season came at the Alachua County Championships, which Columbia won again. Folsom led the way that day, shooting a 1-under-71 to finish runner-up
An under-par round became a typical day for Folsom.
“Not that he was not taking golf seriously before, but you could tell this season he was on a mission,” Hagler said. “He would go out there and he would have a look in his eyes and kind of put the blinders on. Once it was go time, there was no stopping him. And I think he matured a little bit more. He knew that he was one of the seniors on the team and he needed to be a leader. And mentally, he had it all together. I never had to worry about him.”
In the postseason, Folsom was just as consistent. He shot even better at districts this year, carding a 4-under-68 to finish runner-up at the District 2-3A Tournament. That was good enough to help the Tigers place second as well.
“It was pretty consistent all day,” Folsom said of districts. “I was never really up or down. I was really consistent making the pars and birdies I needed. And if I had a bogey I bounced back with a birdie so it was a pretty solid day all around.”
At the Region 1-3A Tournament, Folsom had to battle back into the top 10. He was 4-over with four holes to go but then birdied the last four holes to finish an even-72, good enough for sixth to help the Tigers place fourth and return to the state.
Folsom then improved upon last year’s performance at the Class 3A State Tournament when he finished tied for 18th, even if it didn’t start out the way he had hoped. He was 2-under with six holes to go on the first day but ended up finishing 2-over.
Then, on Day 2, Folsom says he probably had one of his worst rounds of the year with a 4-over-76. Still, his 6-over score was good enough for 10th place to cap off a special career at Columbia.
He knows it too.
“It could’ve been better but I wasn’t mad at it,” Folsom said. “I didn’t really walk away with my head down.”
Valdosta State walked away impressed nonetheless. The Blazers’ coaching staff was on hand following Folsom around at state, and they liked what they saw.
Folsom received an offer from VSU shortly after and has since committed to continue his career in college. The Blazers can surely pencil in a few more under-par rounds for their new golfer.
After all, that’s his typical day on the golf course.
“I felt like my season went really, really well,” Folsom said. “It was the best season I’ve had since I’ve been in high school.”
ALL-AREA TEAM
Ty Folsom
Columbia, senior
The LCR’s Boys Golfer of the Year posted a team-best 33.3 nine-hole average, leading the Tigers to a runner-up finish at the District 2-3A Tournament and a fourth-place finish at Region 1-3A Tournament to qualify for state. Folsom shot a 4-under-68 at districts and was an even-par-72 at regionals before shooting a 74-76-150 at the Class 3A State Tournament, where he placed a team-best 10th. He was also runner-up at the Alachua County Championships, which CHS won as a team.
Zach Shaw
Columbia, senior
Had a 33.8 nine-hole average and placed third at the District 2-3A Tournament with a 3-under-69. Went on to finish 30th at the Region 1-3A Tournament with a 78 and tied for 58th at the Class 3A State Tournament with an 80-83-163.
Spencer McCranie
Columbia, junior
Had a 35.7 nine-hole average, won the Alachua County Championships with a 2-under-70, and placed fifth at the District 2-3A Tournament with an even-par-72. He went on to tie for 20th at the Region 1-3A Tournament with a 76 and then finished tied for 40th at the Class 3A State Tournament with a 78-81-159.
Connor Williams
Columbia, sophomore
Had a 36.3 nine-hole average and placed eighth at the District 2-2A Tournament with a 75. Went on to tie for 24th at the Region 1-3A Tournament with a 77 and then tied for 52nd at the Class 3A State Tournament with an 85-76-161.
Clayton Senea
Suwannee, sophomore
Led the Bulldogs this season with a 46 9-hole average.
Chase Hagler
Coach of the Year, Columbia
Hagler led the Tigers back to the state tournament for a third straight year, where they placed ninth in Class 3A. Under Hagler’s watch, Columbia was runner-up at the District 2-3A Tournament and finished fourth at the Region 1-3A Tournament. The Tigers also won the Alachua County championships by 32 strokes.