Bulldog on the course: Holmes led Priceville to new heights
By R. Sirvell Carter
For the Enquirer
Sammy Holmes entered the 2024 golf season with one main goal in mind – helping lead Priceville to the state tournament.
After falling short the past two years as an individual and team participant, Holmes and the Bulldogs regrouped and met their goal.
“We had one heck of a team,” said Holmes, who finished the Class 4A state tournament tied for the fifth best score among individual golfers. Priceville finished fourth in the overall team scores.
“Braxton Voss, Bentlee Voss and Trey (Howell), those were guys from freshman and sophomore years’ team and we had Cole (Lindeman, a senior in 2023 who was last year’s Boys Golfer of the Year). We shot good scores but never got in (the state tournament),” Drei Netherton moved from Decatur to Priceville and also contributed to Priceville’s 2024 success.
“We took him in like a brother and he ended up producing and playing well toward the end of the stretch too,” Holmes said.
Kaleb Estes, Priceville’s coach during the team’s state tournament run, credited Holmes, who won or tied for the lead in three tournaments, for his role in the Bulldogs’ success.
“He was our most consistent player,” Estes said. “Was always a great leader for us. Always worked hard.” Holmes recalled the 2023 Class 4A substate tournament. Priceville missed out on reaching state, but Holmes was still in contention to go as an individual.
“It was so heartbreaking because 73 ended up getting there,” Holmes said. “I turned my scorecard in and I was sitting on the cutline and a kid came in and beat me by one (stroke). It was devastating.” The setback, however, did not discourage Holmes. It made him even more
PHOTO BY JERONIMO NISA determined.
“I used that as motivation,” he said. “I know I’m good. I know I can compete with these guys, so I grinded all summer. I knew I could do it so I didn’t give up and practiced harder and ended up getting in it the next year.” His determination also included his team.
“We knew the obstacle (we had to overcome) to get there,” Holmes said. “Me, Bentlee, Braxton and Trey’s goal always was to make it to state. Our biggest obstacle was Haleyville and White Plains in the way. We did some research on that and we saw the numbers they were shooting and we’re like, ‘Alright, we’ve got to shoot lower than that.’ “We were (at the course) from 8 o’clock to 5 o’clock some days during the summer just doing nothing but playing golf as a team. Yeah, golf ‘s fun individually. It’s hard, but it makes it even more fun and even more competitive when you’ve got a team to play with.” Holmes’ team-first mindset had been established after years growing up playing football, which he called “the love of my life ever since I was able to speak”, and basketball. He was named to The Daily’s 2021 All-Area team as a freshman safety and to the 2024 All-Area first team in basketball. He started playing golf in the summer of 2020 during the COVID pandemic.
“It was hard to get in the gym and play basketball,” Holmes said. “Football wasn’t going. Instead of sitting around the house I’d go to Burningtree (Country Club) and I’d stay out there all day.” Holmes has grown up in a sports family.
His father, Jeremy, is a 1994 Decatur graduate who played quarterback for the Red Raiders. His mother, Jessica (formerly Jessica Hames), played basketball at Danville and graduated in 1997. His brother Tristan, a 2022 Priceville graduate, was named as Class 4A All-State honorable mention.
Sammy gave up playing his first love, football in 2023 to focus more on golf to work toward earning a college scholarship in that sport.
“He’s had a really good summer,” said Estes, who left the Priceville golf team after the season to work with the boys basketball staff at Athens.
Holmes won his second straight Spirit of America Golf Tournament Junior Division championship last month.
“His goal is to play D1 college golf somewhere,” Estes said. “I really feel like he can.”
