When Chris Eaves was a student at Northwood High School, he never thought about picking up a nine iron.
“I was just looking in my old high school yearbook,” Eaves said. “There are a lot of pictures of me in the basketball and track sections. Then I looked at the golf team and was like, ‘Why didn’t I think about that?’”
It was not until after Eaves finished high school that he had his first experience in the tee box, when he was introduced to golf by his brother 15 years ago.
“I was sure I could play because I was an athlete, and I could do anything,” Eaves said. “I went went out there and hit one good shot, and I have been hooked ever since.”
This season, led by Eaves, the Chapel Hill women’s golf team finished fourth in the Big Eight 3A conference. The team had big shoes to fill with the graduation of former All-American Gina Kim who is now freshman on the Duke golf team.
The Tigers’ final match of the season was the conference tournament on October 3–4, where they placed third.
But the season continued for one player. Junior Bess Pridgen, who was also named to the all-conference team, qualified for the individual state regional tournament held at the Greensboro National Golf Course on October 15. Pridgen fell two strokes shy of advancing to the state championship round.
After her first year coached by Eaves, Pridgen had only praise for him.
“Coach Eaves is so enthusiastic about everything,” she said. “He is so great about supporting all of us and making it known how much he wants us to improve.”
Eaves hopes to inspire students to give golf a try, just as his brother did for him.
“I’m out recruiting girls who have never played golf before in their life, but if they come out and become a part of the team, you never know where it could take them,” Eaves said. “I’m trying to create a passion, so they can play this game for the rest of their lives.”
Sophomore Juliana Ko has only been playing golf for three months and joined the golf team this year.
“Coaches Eaves was really calm and wasn’t pushy. He supported me through the whole game and advised me what to do without pressuring me,” Ko said. “He also helped me with my short game.”
Not only does Eaves want to teach a game that can stick with students forever, but he also wants to share life lessons through the challenges that golf presents.
“Golf is a very difficult game because it is a mental, as well as a physical, game,” Eaves said. “Golf teaches discipline and trust. It also builds character, identity and a belief system. All of those things come when you are a part of a team.”
Chapel Hill’s women’s golf team is done with its season, but Eaves is eager to continue creating an inviting culture within the program.
“I want to build year after year,” Eaves said. “The more people I can get, the more people that they will tell, and tradition will continue.”
