Hamilton known more as teacher than player
By Mike Blum
When Cartersville Country Club head professional Scott Hamilton scored a hole-in-one in the recent Georgia PGA Pro-Assistant Championship at Cherokee Country Club, he said the feat was “no big deal.
“There wasn’t much reaction from the rest of the guys in the group.”
But when Hamilton made a second ace later in the round, the reaction was quite a bit different, both from Hamilton and his playing partners.
“Oh my God,” was Hamilton’s initial reaction to his second ace of the round. “Nobody does that. I couldn’t believe it. It was unreal. Everybody was going crazy high-fiving each other. It was such an unexplainable feeling. What are the odds?”
Pretty astronomical.
It wasn’t as if Hamilton had never scored a hole-in-one before. Counting his pair of aces at Cherokee, he has either seven or eight (he’s not exactly sure) in his career, including one in a pro-am for a Georgia PGA event at Landings GC in Warner Robins.
The first of Hamilton’s hole-in-ones at Cherokee came on the 160-yard fourth hole on the South course. His 8-iron tee shot took one hop and went straight in the cup. Later in his round, he hit a 6-iron on the 183-yard 14th hole on the North course and the result was the same.
“Both went bam. One hop. No roll.”
The two holes-in-one weren’t enough to propel Hamilton and Cartersville CC assistant Darren Faddis into contention in the tournament, but they did earn him something more than recognition for his exceedingly rare feat.
“I won all the skins. I think I made more than the first place guys.”
As far as the recognition, Hamilton says it is “interesting how many people contact you after something like this.”
Hamilton admits he is “not a very accomplished player. I’m a decent club pro player.”
Most of his tournament appearances in recent years have come in team events like the Pro-Assistant, but he managed a top-20 finish in the recent Chicopee Woods Players Championship. In his other tournament start this year in a Georgia PGA event, he teamed with John Tillery of Milledgeville CC to tie for second in the Pro-Pro Scramble at Legacy on Lanier.
Hamilton has been at Cartersville CC since 1993, and has established himself as one of more respected teaching pros in the state, while becoming a popular figure within the Cartersville community.
The 45-year-ol Hamilton is a Missouri native and attended college at the U. of Missouri. After college, Hamilton began his club professional career as an assistant at Hilton Head, taking the advice of someone in the industry who told him that was the best route to take to land a high profile job elsewhere.
Hamilton spent five years at Hilton Head working as an assistant at Harbour Town and Haig Point, and landed his first head professional job at Cartersville CC.
When he accepted the job at Cartersville, Hamilton expected it would be “a stepping stone job” to something a little more prominent, but after 17 years he has no intention of looking for another job.
“I love the club and the town; it’s a great place. This is as good as it gets.”
Hamilton describes himself as “a small town and my wife is from a small town.”
With his job at Cartersville CC, Hamilton lives and works in a small town setting while being just a short drive down I-75 from all Atlanta Golf has to offer.
From his base in Cartersville, Hamilton has built a thriving teaching base, with his stable of students including a number of tour professionals, Cartersville CC member Jason Bohn among them. Hamilton began working with Bohn long before he made his way to the PGA Tour.
Hamilton’s first made his name as a teacher helping to develop the skills of Cartersville native Bryant Odom, who went on to play at the U. of Georgia and on the Nationwide Tour.
Former PGA Tour winner Michael Clark has joined Hamilton’s list of students and is on the comeback trail after being lost in the wilderness for several years. Hamilton’s stable includes a number of other tour players as well as top amateurs like David Noll and aspiring youngsters.
“Golf instruction is about word of mouth,” Hamilton says, pointing out that when a tour player begins playing better after working with a particular instructor, that instructor can expect to hear from some of said players’ peers, as well as those looking to become a tour player.
Teaching is just part of Hamilton’s “old school” job at Cartersville CC. He also owns the golf shop and is “involved in all aspects of the club. I’m one of those guys that gets bored doing just one thing.”
Hamilton also has what he calls the “entrepreneurial gene” and “owns other things” besides the Cartersville golf shop.
“I love juggling all these things. Sometimes I’m worn out. But never bored.”
Cartersville Country Club is a frequent host of events for both the Georgia PGA and GSGA, with the club hosting the Georgia PGA’s Junior Championship in 2009 and the Senior PNC this year.
“The club is a real supporter of golf,” Hamilton says. “It tries to do all it can.”
The course itself is an enjoyable, well-conditioned layout that offers a sufficient challenge to serve as a tournament host for statewide events, while providing a friendly setting for its members, who have made Hamilton feel at home during his years with the club.
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