Golf teams practicing, preparing for GHSA's season-opening matches

The weather is warming, and the grass is growing. The golf course maintenance staffs across the state are doing preventive maintenance on their equipment while sharpening their mower blades. The cups are cut. The sand is raked, and the fairways look welcoming.

Welcome to the GHSA golf season.

The earliest date for a golf match is Feb. 10 and teams began practicing Monday, as allowed by the GHSA.

Before this golf blog looks at the upcoming season, lets see where last season ended and who are the defending champions entering the year while also checking out where those teams will compete this season.

Its worth noting that Class 6A, the states new highest class, is wide open this season after reclassification and Class 5A is absolutely packed with talent.

Last year, Miltons boys won the programs fourth-straight and fifth-overall title and will compete in 5A this season after reclassification dropped the Eagles down from Class 7A.

Also competing in Class 5A is the 6A defending champion Lakeside-Evans and the sitting 5A champions Northgate. In Class 4A, North Oconee returns to defend its title after winning the programs fifth last season.

Wesleyan had never won a boys golf title before the Wolves won back-to-back Class 3A titles in 2023 and last season. Now, Wesleyan will compete in the Private class this season alongside the 2A champions Mount Paran, the Class A Division I champions Mt. Vernon and the Class A Division II champions Christian Heritage.

With the private schools gone, Class A Division I and II are each wide open and in Division I, Elbert County, Lamar County, Metter and Rabun County were the highest finishers behind the private programs. In Class A Division II, Georgia Military, Seminole County, Hawkinsville and Schley County finished behind the private schools and could be favorites this season.

On the girls side, Lambert won the past five titles (2020 was not held due to COVID-19) and will compete in Class 6A this season after reclassification. Johns Creek returns to defend its Class 6A title and will compete alongside the Class 5A champions McIntosh is 5A this year. Each have previously won three titles.

North Oconees girls return to Class 4A and will try to defend their championship for the fifth-consecutive season. The Titans will compete alongside three-time champion Starrs Mill, Madison County and Westminster.

With back-to-back Class 3A champion Savannah Christian now competing in Class 1A-3A Private, Class 3A is wide open. White County, the 2021 Class 3A champions, will contend alongside Dawson County and Oconee County and LaFayette.

In Class 2A, Pierce Countys girls have won three-straight titles and six overall, and will try to defend against a talented, new-look field. Last season, Pierce finished ahead of private schools Athens Academy, Mount Paran, Fellowship Christian and North Cobb Christian and with those teams playing in the Private class this season, 2A is open.

In Class A Division I and II, private schools dominated last season. But that will not be the case this season. In Class A Division I, Metter, Elbert County, Bleckley County and Heard County could be favorites. In Class A Division II, Hawkinsville, Echols County, Seminole County and Charlton County could be favorited.