Lance Sininger has been golfing since he was old enough to pick up a club, and many years of practice have paid off for the Georgetown High School senior.

During his first three years of high school golf with the Georgetown G-Men, Lance Sininger made it as far as the Southwest District Golf Tournament, but fell short of reaching his ultimate goal of qualifying for the state tourney. With a second place overall finish in this year’s Division III District Tournament at Beavercreek Golf Club, Sininger has earned his first trip to the state tournament and will be among those competing for a state golf title Oct. 12-13 at NorthStar Golf Club, Sunbury.

“I’m very excited,” said Sininger. “It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity for me, and I’m looking to make the most of it.”

“I’ve pretty much played golf my whole life, so I’ve been working almost every day to be successful (in the sport),” said Sininger, who was around one-year-old when taking his first trip to the golf course.

While competing in the Southwest District Division III District Tournament at Beavercreek on Oct. 4, Sininger shot for a score of 78 to place runner-up overall and first of individual golfers not competing as part of a team. He finished the district tournament only five strokes behind the district champion Chet Jamison of Newtown Local.

Sininger said his performance in the district tournament wasn’t his best this season, but was certainly pleased to shoot well enough to be among the state qualifiers.

“I was a little disappointed with how I played at the district tournament. It wasn’t a great day for anybody (who competed), but I hold very high standards for myself and it was not the best I could’ve done,” said Sininger.

This marks the third straight year that Sininger has earned Southern Buckeye Athletic/Academic Conference National Division Golfer of the Year honors as the G-Men’s No. 1 player in what has been an outstanding high school golf career.

Sininger said he has never had the chance to shoot the Sunbury Course where the Division III State Tournament will be held, but he will get to play the course at least once before the first day of the state tourney begins.

“It looks pretty tough,” Sininger said of the Sunbury course.

With his high school golf season reaching an end this week as he competes in the state tournament, Sininger is reflecting on his golf career at GHS. Of all the things he will miss about his high school golf career, he said its the many friends he has made along the way and the coaches that he will miss the most.

“I’ll miss practicing with my friends every day, and even talking to all of the other high school coaches in our league. They are all really great guys and they’ve been very helpful to me throughout my high school career, teaching me more about the game and ways to improve,” said Sininger.

Sininger plans to continue his golf career on the collegiate level and has received many offers from colleges, but he has not yet committed.

“Going on to play golf in college is something I’ve been passionate about ever since I can remember,” said Sininger. “I’ve been working very hard to achieve that, and hopefully sometime in the spring I will be able to announce my commitment.”

Georgetown’s Lance Sininger tees off during a match this season.
https://www.ripleybee.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/web1_lance-sininger.jpgGeorgetown’s Lance Sininger tees off during a match this season.

By Wade Linville

wlinville@browncountypress.com