By Joanna Chadwick

Senior Ty Adkins holds every Hutchinson golf record except one — total events. But it’s not even his fault because he missed his freshman season when it was canceled due to Covid.

Adkins has also made his mark on the state level.

His 72.7 scoring average as a junior was first in Class 6A and he finished second in state. As a sophomore he finished sixth in 6A and had a 74.8 scoring average, seventh in Hutch history. He won three events in each of his first two seasons.

On April 24, he won his third tournament of the season, edging Derby’s Jaydon Carruthers on a scorecard tiebreaker. Both shot a three-under 68 at Derby Country Club.

“As I told the college coaches that recruited him, he is a heck of a good player,” coach Charlie Pierce said. “But he is an even better person.

“… I have been coaching for 41 years. I have never had a better player nor a better person. He is an amazing young man.”

Adkins, who has signed with Wichita State, has plans to have camps this summer and wants to collaborate with those looking to get clubs into the hands of young people who cannot otherwise afford the game.

“I really want to work on growing the game as much as I can,” he said. “
I see the need for kids who are less fortunate and need clubs. I really want to help them out.”

Adkins got into the game because of his dad, Troy.

“We have four (courses) in Hutchinson, so there’s a lot of opportunities to play,” Adkins said.

He decided he wanted to play golf in college when he qualified for the Kansas Amateur, shooting a 79 on the first day and then a 69 on the second to make the cut.

“That’s when it was, ‘wow, I really want to do this at the next level,'” Adkins said. That was my eighth grade year and I’ve qualified four straight years.”

His growth in the game has shown most in the mental aspect.

“Golf is a game of inches, and the six inches between your ears is the biggest thing you have to worry about,” Adkins said. “Maturing in that aspect of the game is huge.

“I would say golf-wise, my driving has been my really good thing that I lean on. I can usually find a lot of fairways and I usually hit my greens. My short game is a little iffy, and it’s what I need to work on.”

Hutchinson’s regional is in Hays, so he’s hopeful the whole team will qualify for state.

“Being the only senior on varsity is fun, but it has those challenges,” he said. “It is fun to help them out whenever I can.”

Adkins’ goal is to win a Class 5A championship. After playing only in the 6A tournament, Hutchinson is now in 5A.

“It is a change going from 6A to 5A,” Adkins said. “I still want to win the state championship. I’m going to take it day by day, shot by shot. I love Turkey Creek. It’s a great golf course, and it will test a lot of players there.

“… I was getting familiar with a lot of the players in my class (in 6A) and the grade below me, so it’s a change of players. And 5A does play a lot tougher than 6A.

“But I’m up for the challenge.”