High 5, Tyler Radcliffe: Northside freshman reflects on golf season, hole-in-one

Published 4:52 pm Sunday, May 11, 2025

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CHOCOWINITY, N.C. — Tyler Radcliffe’s freshman season at Northside High School has been a pretty good one on the golf course.

He’s been one of the most consistent players on a young team that qualified for the Class 1A state championship, which will be played this Monday and Tuesday at Longleaf Golf and Family Club in Southern Pines. He had his team’s high score of 84 and was one of four freshmen to finish in the top five overall.

He also had the thrill of sinking a hole-in-one during a competition last week at Washington Yacht & Country Club. We talked with Radcliffe about his season, that hole-in-one, going to states and more.

1. Let’s talk about your performance at the regional. You said you could have had an 83, but you got an 84 and that’s still pretty good. So talk about how you did.

I felt like I did, it was a pretty casual day. Went out of bounds a few times, I think twice. Had a few good saves, a good save on 17, good save on 15 for bogey. But just fighting, fighting for staying low, that’s all you can do, really.”

2. (Northside) Coach Jared Adams talked about having a young team this season. So, what has that experience been like for you as far as coming out here (at Cypress Landing Golf Club, site of the 1A East Regional)?

I just feel like it’s a little closer to home, and we played a practice round Sunday. Did terrible, and I was really nervous coming in today. But the first few holes got me warmed up, and then I think on number seven, I chipped in for birdie. So that really got me going, and I had a few pars in a row. After the chip in, I was just kind of feeling it. I just rode it all the way in.”

3. What’s your experience gonna be like as far as the states? I mean, maybe you’ve talked to (senior) Max (Vansant) or somebody who has been involved in it. Have you got a mindset about what that’s gonna be like for you, and how are you gonna do with that?

“I’m really excited, just with the boys that I’m going with. My goal is just to keep it under 90 both days. That’s always the goal. I’m a freshman, I’m not gonna take it too serious, but I’m not gonna go there wanting to win. I’m just gonna go there with a score that I can help my team do good.”

4. What’s the experience been like as far as the hole-in-one? Because just on the newspaper website, people will be talking about how you’re gonna be signing player cards when you hit the pros and stuff like that. I’m sure it’s sunk in, but what’s that been like as far as the fanfare is concerned?

Yeah, it’s been pretty cool. A lot of people looking up to me now. It’s just hard work. And you gotta just put your trust in God sometimes and just go with the flow. It’s like, yeah, I came out Sunday, shot a 94, and I came out today and shot an 84.”

5. What’s your summer plans like? Are you going to be playing a lot of tournaments around the state and stuff like that?

Yeah, I’ll be participating in the US Kids Golf, and there’s a … I guess it’s summer league, we call it summer league at Washington Yacht & Country Club. I attended that last year, it helped me a lot, and I’ll be doing that again. May get into some TYGA (Tarheel Youth Golf Association) tournaments, but it just depends where my game’s at.”