POPE VALLEY >> A new venue proved to be a big hit with the eight golf teams that make up the Coastal Mountain Conference South on Wednesday afternoon.
Unable to play at Meadowood Golf Course in St. Helena because of renovations taking place there, the CMC visited Aetna Springs Golf Course in Pope Valley for the first time in conference history and the results were all positive, according to Kelseyville coach John Berry.
“They really rolled out the red carpet for us,” Berry said of the Aetna Springs staff. “Conditions were idyllic. Whether you’re a 75 golfer or a 125 golf, you had a great day.”
Aetna Springs opened on Wednesday just to accommodate the high school golfers and didn’t charge them a dime, according to Berry.
“We were the only ones on the course. It was just a positive situation throughout. They even invited us to play here next year,” Berry said.
While the surroundings were new, the results of the fifth of eight CMC South matches this year were the same — undefeated conference leader St. Vincent won again, running its record to 25-0 with a 311-356 victory over runner-up Middletown (20-5), which has finished second in every match so far. Kelseyville was next at 385, St. Helena had 402, Rincon Valley Christian finished with 418, and Clear Lake had 459. Final scores are determined by adding the four low individual rounds on each team.
Alex Graham and Jack Hood, both of St. Vincent, tied for the day’s low round with 5-over-par 75s. St. Helena’s Ryan Johnson was a shot back at 76.
Matt Wotherspoon led Kelseyville with 81 and Middletown’s Riley Adams and Chasen Tom finished with 82 and 84, respectively. Kelseyville’s Joe Tannous carded a 87. Wotherspoon had two birdies during his round.
The first round of the CMC South Championship takes place next Wednesday at Windsor Golf Club.
