Whitefish golfer Billy Smith wants a high finish for himself, Bulldogs

Second-year Whitefish golf coach Tait Rocksund looks at Billy Smith and sees a rock solid shot-maker, with a mental makeup beyond his 18 years.

“He’s organized,” Rocksund said this week, as his team prepared for the State A golf tournament at Hamilton Golf Club. “He has a routine, and he sticks with the routine.

“The level of focus and intensity he brings to a round is kind of unmatched, for most high school kids. Some people have that ability to do that, and some get nervous and struggle. He loves those moments. He looks forward to them.”

Two years ago Smith was part of a 1-2 punch (with medalist Cameron Kahle; they tied after 36 holes) that led Whitefish to a state championship. Last year he was the clear No. 1, and he and the Bulldogs were State A runners-up to Cameron Hackmann and the rest of the Laurel Locomotives.

This week, well, who’s to say. Hackmann was a freshman a year ago, and Laurel’s still very good. And Polson has won five tournaments this season, including last week’s Western A.

“I think we’re fully capable of winning,” Smith said. “We feel we have the depth. At any time Riley (Brown) and Tag (Walker) can come through and post a good number. Johnny (Nix) and Matthew (Peschell) are very capable.”

The big-hitting Nix, in fact, was medalist at the Kalispell Invitational, which Whitefish won on Sept. 15. Meanwhile the Pirates have won four of six true head-to-head tournament matchups with the Bulldogs.

“Sixteen is one of the harder holes out there,” Smith said this week. “And we both hit really good drives.”

He was talking about the Western A Divisional, played at the tightly laid out Cabinet View Golf Club outside Libby. Smith is also talking about Polson’s Carson Hupka, who on 16 knocked his approach stiff for a short birdie putt.

“He made the putt from about six feet,” Smith said. “I hit my putt a little more aggressively, to try and take the break out of it.”

It ended up a three-putt and Smith was suddenly down two strokes to the Polson junior. Then came the par-4 17.

“He hit a 3-iron. Normally that’s the play — to hit it 210, 220,” Smith said. “I thought about it and actually pulled driver and tried to hit it up by the green. And I hit a really good shot.”

Smith got up and down for the birdie; Hupka bogeyed. They were all square.

The 18th is a short par-5, and each crushed their drive and set themselves up for birdie putts. But Hupka got closer and made his. Smith missed and made par.

“Kind of the same thing as 16,” he said. “My speed was just a little bit off.”

It’s going to make for an interesting two days in Hamilton. On top of that Libby showdown, the two golfers played to a tie at the Corvallis Invitational that concluded in Missoula Aug. 29. Smith won a three-hole playoff.

Smith moved to Whitefish six years ago and yes, his is a golfing family. Both his dad and older brother both played collegiately for the Texas Longhorns, and he thought of doing the same.

“It definitely crossed my mind,” he said, and he visited the Austin campus along with trips to the University of San Diego, San Diego State, Washington State and UNLV.

Vegas won out.

“I wanted to change it up and go to a play where I could be in the starting five, right away,” Smith said. “And UNLV fit because they have a young team.”

“I think he’s going to show up and make a difference, right away,” Rocksund said. “He’s going to go down there and be playing, so that’s exciting.”

Rocksund also notes that Smith is hitting it longer, as much as 30 yards, than in 2021. Smith credits a spring regimen of strength and agility training. Has he caught up to the bomb-hitting Nix? Under certain conditions.

“Johnny hits it very far,” Smith said. “We always joke around on the range and try to have a driving contest. But I have to bring a fairway into play. That’s the only way I can beat him.”

Golf is still “drive for show, putt for dough,” and Rocksund loves Smith’s short game, along with the mental approach of a guy so driven, he plans to graduate early from Whitefish High.

He’ll head to UNLV as a grayshirt/redshirt in January.

“I couldn’t ask for a better captain,” Rocksund said. “Billy does all the little things, and he’s really brought the team together, in a really positive way. That leaves a big void next year for our golf team, but we’ll enjoy him as long as we have him.

“Which I guess is one more week.”