Reese Hall Scobey, a seventh-grader at East Hamilton Middle School, is teeing up for a path toward high school, college and then a professional golf career.
Reese Hall Scobey has plans for a future in golf and has already won several tournaments.He recently tied for second place during the Regional Golf Tournament and placed first in All-County as part of the East Hamilton Middle School Golf team lead by Neil Hamilton. Reese is also a member of TGA Junior Golf.
“I think golf is a unique sport in many different ways,” said Reese, who picked up his first golf club when he was barely 2 years old. “It’s a good individual sport, but it can also be good to hang out and play with friends. It also teaches life lessons-integrity, perseverance, character and honesty.”
Reese is the son of Todd and Nickie Schoonover and spent much of his youth learning golf from his grandfathers, Dennis Hall and Johnnie Long, or practicing on his own at Windstone Golf Course. He began competing at age 7 and said he enjoys competition as a chance to continue learning about the sport.
“My strategy for staying focused on the golf course during tournaments is to not worry about anyone else’s score, to visualize each shot and pretend I’m the only one on the golf course,” said Reese, who said he is always eager for another game. “I’ll play whenever I get the chance, whether it’s 20 degrees or 100.”
The young golfer plans to go to a high school like Baylor or McCallie with both a strong academic and golf reputation. From there he sees himself applying to colleges such as the University of Florida, which has a strong golf athletic program. After graduating his goal is to work his way into the PGA Tour.
“If I ever get into the PGA Tour I would love to meet the great golfers and get an autograph or a personal lesson,” said Reese, who wants to meet his favorite golfer, Phil Mickelson.
To prepare his golf skills to match his big plans, Reese will spend the summer practicing at least every other day and attending tournaments in the region. His best score to date is 67 on 18 holes and he has made eight eagles in his lifetime. Reese said one of his practice techniques that gives him confidence is to begin practice by using a 3- or 4-iron club.
“If you hit well with a 3- or 4-iron, you can hit well with any club,” Reese said. “It’s how I build my confidence.”