PEARCY -- Lake Hamilton golf has three senior boys on this year's team, and the Wolves are led by head coach Brandi Higginbotham in her fifth season with the golf program and 24th at the school.
She said she hopes to add a state championship in golf to her collection as she has coached state championship teams in girls basketball and softball for the Lady Wolves.
Last season was the first time the boys golf team had qualified for state.
"We have had some individuals that qualify, but to qualify as a team we were pretty pumped about that," Higginbotham said. "Getting into state is a real team effort."
Putting a quality golf team together can be a tough challenge.
"We are still looking for our fifth guy right now," Higginbotham said. "We play in a very tough conference with Lakeside and El Dorado. They win state quite often and then we have pulled Benton back to our conference and everyone thinks they are the best they have ever been."
Lake Hamilton football player Mathew Kara joined the team for his senior year and hopes to be able to make an impact.
The boys have a lot of consistency returning.
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"Junior Brode Horton, senior Zac Pennington, senior Ben Varner and junior Jack Higginbotham all scored almost dead even in the first match," Higginbotham said.
Varner likes to play at the Hot Springs Country Club most in this area.
"Whenever I get in difficult situations I just take a deep breath and drink some water," Varner said. "My short game is probably my best."
Varner is also a second baseman for the Lake Hamilton baseball team.
Higginbotham enjoys the opportunity to coach her son Jack Higginbotham.
The coach said if the boys can stay consistent and drop four or five strokes off their score, they will be pretty good.
Brandi Higginbotham noted that Varner has really improved over the summer.
"You have to play a lot of golf and have a good pro to work with," she said.
Pennington can hit a drive of 330 yards and has also made a 30-foot putt. Pennington is an all-around student-athlete, scoring a 34 on his ACT and is set to attend Southern Arkansas University to play basketball.
"It is pretty good when I hit it good," he said. "The best part of my game is my irons."
The Lady Wolves have three girls this season. All three are juniors in Reagan Carrouth, Jordyn Garner and Kenley Kincannon.
Garner brings the most experience to the team.
"She plays a lot of golf in the summers," Brandi Higginbotham said.
Hot Springs Village is where most of the Wolves and Lady Wolves play in the summer due to Junior PGA programs, but Lake Hamilton uses Glenwood Country Club for its home matches.
Brandi Higginbotham emphasized she is prepared for anything this season after two seasons ago when one of her players was bitten by a cottonmouth, received antivenom at the hospital and then returned to finish the match.