Sells Previews Young Livingston Golf Team

Livingston Academy Golf Coach Buddy Sells said he will take a different approach in coaching with this year’s Wildcats.

The Wildcats roster primarily composed of freshman and sophomores that have only been playing golf for a few years at the most. Sells said that the goal is to build for the future while still remaining competitive this year. And Sells said he’s had to temper his expectations of this group.

“I make sure they understand that I don’t expect them to compete with 18-year-olds,” Sells said. “They get out there and play with guys with mustaches and are like ‘Coach, this guy, is he in high school?’ I just remind them, watch what they do. Try to learn something from what they do and adapt that into your game to make yourself a better player.”

Sells said while he knows how hard his golfers have worked on their game this off season, golf is not a sport where results come quickly. He said this year’s challenge is keeping his young, inexperienced golfers from comparing themselves to others and getting discouraged.

“Golf is that kind of game where it can come in phases,” Sells said. “The good comes just as quick as the bad does sometimes. Teaching them how to manage that has been a big challenge.

The Wildcats’ girls roster features all freshmen. Sells said while they are young and lack experience, they have shown promise for the future and flashes for now.

Lillian Herron is a softball player in her first year of organized golf, Sells said she has the power but they’re working on keeping the ball in play. Addison Wilson is in her third year of golf and almost made her first birdie during a match. And Gabby Sells is coach Sells’ daughter who has been involved in drive, chip and putt events around the region and finished first in the local qualifier in Smyrna this year.

On the boys side, Isaac Keller is the lone senior on the team that Sells said has been a tremendous help this season. Nathan Rains and Corbin Burns are two golfers that Sells said have worked hard and the results are showing early.

While the Wildcats don’t have any match or tournament wins to point at, Sells said his teams success is based within.

“I tell my guys, compete with yourself, compete against yourself, try to do better than the last time you played,” Sells said. “Sometimes that doesn’t really show up on the scorecard or against another team or on the stat sheets. But, sometimes those small victories are steps to big victories.”