Boys Golf / South Puget Sound League -- Star Rising For Another Woods -- Enumclaw Senior Has Game, And Will

ENUMCLAW - Isaac Woods definitely has his golf game ironed out.

The Enumclaw High School senior has always had the name, and now he has the game.

Using uncanny accuracy with his irons, Woods has become one of the finest players at a school rich in golf tradition.

"He's got all the skills," said Matt McGregor, a 1993 Enumclaw graduate who is assistant pro at Enumclaw Golf Course and an assistant with the school team. "Isaac has the potential to go as high as he wants to go. It's all there. Plus, he's got the mind for it."

Woods has matured into a 17-year-old brimming with self-confidence, yet hasn't lost any of his manners or respect.

As a freshman, the lanky Woods was unsure of his ability. In fact, he didn't turn out for the Hornets' golf team because he feared he wasn't good enough.

"Back then, I didn't feel I had the game," said the 6-foot-1, 160-pounder, who carries a 3.91 grade-point average. "I was shooting in the high 30s, and I thought I needed to shoot low 30s to make the team. I didn't think I could handle it."

As a freshman, he and some friends would head out every day and play in front of the school players. With hard work and determination, Woods quickly surpassed almost everybody's expectations.

"I improved pretty fast," said Woods, who took up the game seriously only as an eighth-grader and now is third on the school's all-time list for average over-par score at just a fraction over par. "I do pretty well mentally. I don't go too far ahead or behind in my thinking. If I make a bad swing, I try to remember what it's like to make a good swing."

His focus is on eclipsing the school's season record for average, .17 under par set in 1979 by state champion Rob Paschich.

"That's my main goal . . . to break that record," he said. "Because those guys are really respected for their scores and hard work. I want to match those guys."

His .43 over-par average leaves him some work to do in the team's final matches. He averages 35.75 strokes and 17.62 points per nine-hole match through eight matches.

Woods' consistency has been hard to match during his three years on the varsity, especially the last two. His low is a 2-under 33, set last year at Enumclaw and matched last week at Auburn Golf Course.

"He's a student of the game," said Bob Kilmer, who is coaching the girls and boys golf teams with Bill Hawk while longtime coach Tim Tubbs spends the rest of the year in Australia on a teacher exchange. "He's worked extremely hard at this. He's spent a lot of time and energy developing his game. He's a kid who's benefited a lot from playing sports, and that means a lot to you as an educator."

With a win in today's home match with Kentwood, the Enumclaw boys team can clinch a share of the South Puget Sound League's North Division title for the second year in a row.

Likely to lead the way is Woods, who was dubbed "Earl" by teammate Isaac Scott to distinguish the two. Of course, the Earl he's nicknamed for is Tiger Woods' father.

Woods' talent has drawn the interest of many colleges. At the top of his list is Eastern Washington University, although, he's been contacted by Army, Harvard, Washington State and Washington.

Enumclaw could someday produce another PGA player named Woods.

"That would be my primary goal ultimately," said Woods, who on July 1 equaled the Enumclaw course record of 9-under-par 61 set five years ago by former Hornet golfer Jeff Whealdon. "Back when I was a freshman, my handicap was 10, and now it's a plus 2. That's 12 strokes in three years, and I'm still getting better."

His father, Evan Woods, describes his son as "focused and level-headed. Very calm and deliberate. He just doesn't lose it."

Despite his All-American manners, Woods is not without his quirks. He eats an apple before each match, and says he carries "a beach towel on my bag, usually pretty colorful . . . with stuff like rainbows. It's better than carrying an umbrella, because you can put it over your head when it rains."

Although he can cut loose, he never loses his cool on the golf course. "I don't ever slam my clubs at all," Woods said. "I deal with it in my head, and figure it out."

Spending at least "four hours a day" with his mind on golf, Woods certainly has figured out that he can play the game.

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SPSL golf / boys to watch

Top SPSL golfers as the Oct. 20-21 medalist tournament at Gold Mountain Golf Course in Gorst approaches:

NORTH DIVISION

Auburn: Brendan Von Doehren, So; Bobby Klemkow, Sr.; Billy Trainer, Sr.

Auburn Riverside: Levi Venn, Sr.; Kyle Forbes, Fr.; Sean Packer, Fr.; Derek Deyo, Jr.

Enumclaw: Isaac Woods, Sr.; Andy Ainsworth, Sr.; Mark Baker, Sr.; Ben Baker, Jr.; Ryan Beall, Jr.

Kentlake: Adam Martin, Sr; Brian Shaw, Sr.

Kent-Meridian: Jeremy Schultz, Sr.; A.J. Brown, Jr.

Kentridge: Aaron Sumii, So.; Scott Fukushima, Jr.

Kentwood: Josh Immordino, Sr.; Tim Pilgrim, Sr.; Kevin McElhern, Jr.; Michael Anderson, Sr.

Tahoma: Erik Olson, So.

SOUTH DIVISION

Bethel: Kyle Wesolowski, Sr.

Curtis: Mike Putnam, Jr.

Decatur: Luke Steere, Sr.

Federal Way: Ian Clark, So.; Lucas Johnson, Fr.

Jefferson: Erik Hinrichs, Jr.

Puyallup: Ryan Moore, Jr.; Jake Koerner, Sr.; David Wilson, Sr.; Jason Smith, Jr.; Brian Fobes, Jr.

Rogers: Andy Barnes, Sr.; Kelly Roy, Sr.