Waccamaw’s Golden, Myrtle Beach’s Grigg set local standard in high school golf

Over the course of the past few years, Waccamaw’s Patrick Golden had set himself apart from boys golfers on the Grand Strand — and in the belief of some, the Palmetto State.

In fact, the past 12 months have treated the College of Charleston signee particularly well. Along with committing to a school he loves, Golden closed his high school career by leading the Warriors to a second consecutive state championship, winning the Class 3A crown by a resounding 37 strokes.

“To go out with a bang, I guess, and get a back-to-back state championship, all the hard work we put in this year and that I put in over the past four years shows hard work truly does pay off,” he said.

While Golden was further adding to his legend, a young Myrtle Beach golfer was busy cementing one of his own.

New to the scene by most, Seahawks sophomore Holden Grigg burst onto the scene during a solid 2017 campaign. However, his performance at the Class 4A boys golf state tournament put his name in the record books — scratching out a certain person’s name in the process.

During the two-day event at the Port Royal Golf Club’s Barony Course, Grigg’s twin rounds of 65 broke a state low-mark set by Waccamaw’s Golden the previous year. His individual feat helped lead Myrtle Beach to a second-place finish.

“It was a great season, it was good to win at states,” he said. “Our team came up just short, as a team we got second place. We’re real young as a team and we’re only getting better. We have a good shot to win it as a whole group next year.

“It was awesome to win individually, but I hope to win as a team next year.”

No two players dominated the high school golf scene on the Grand Strand quite like Golden and Grigg. For their efforts, they have been named Toast of the Coast Boys Golf co-Players of the Year.

Aside from sharing this honor, Golden said there isn’t much different about their golf game.

“Obviously, Holden is a great player. His state tournament is indicative of that this year,” the Waccamaw standout said. “I used to look at me and Holden as kind of the same, we really didn’t hit it that far and our short game is what made us the players that we are.”

Said Grigg: “It’s depends day by day, but honestly it comes just having fun with it … playing the game I love.”

As each of their teams was pushing their way to individual and team titles, each of the young golfers was keeping tabs on what was going on elsewhere — both at their respective courses and other state competitions.

“We obviously were rooting for them,” Grigg said. “We heard they were doing well, but we also were focused on what we were doing.”

Even as he goes through his summer tournament schedule, the Myrtle Beach golfer is eager to pounce upon the momentum earned during the 2017 slate.

“We’re only getting better, I think we’re going to be there for the next few years to come,” he said.

As for Golden, a new chapter awaits — though he expects to employ much of the same regimen that got him to this point.

“Just working on my game, working out a little bit,” he said. “Nothing much really changes … just getting ready for the next level.”

This story was originally published June 23, 2017 at 4:26 PM with the headline "Waccamaw’s Golden, Myrtle Beach’s Grigg set local standard in high school golf."