WESSON – Many middle-aged golfers wore shorts Wednesday,revealing milky-white legs that had remained covered during theextended winter in Mississippi. It was a bright, sunny day as asouthwesterly breeze caressed the Wolf Hollow Golf Club. The deepsighs of warm air fluttered the large American and Mississippiflags standing sentinel outside the entrance to the Alton B.Greenlee Club House.

Inside, PGA golf professional and director of golf Ronny Ross litup the sparkling new facility with his personable smile. Thecounter telephone tootled almost constantly.

“Wolf Hollow Golf Club. This is Ronny. How can I help you?”

Springtime weather has brought the Magnolia State’s groundhogs outof their burrows. Yes, they are proud to feel warm sunshine and seetheir shadows in the middle of February. Enough of this cold, wetwinter weather.

Let’s play golf.

Ross, a Lincoln County native, is in his 11th year as the WolfHollow pro. The 6,745-yard course is turning greener with each warmday.

Scanning the interior of the new clubhouse with his dark browneyes, Ross showed satisfaction. There are spacious dressing areasfor men and women. There’s a grill and several long tables, plus awell-stocked pro shop.

“It makes you feel like we are complete,” said Ross. Wolf Hollow,located on the Copiah-Lincoln Community College campus, is a farcry from its humble beginnings some 40 years ago.

Once referred to as either a cow pasture or goat farm, the oldCo-Lin Golf Club offered primitive golf at a low rate. Mostimportantly, it was a public course, the only public facilitywithin 50 miles of Brookhaven.

Former Co-Lin president Dr. Billy B. Thames is a southpaw. Heplayed cross-handed back then. He encouraged Greenlee to keep thecourse playable.

Greenlee, also a teacher and coach at Co-Lin, devoted countlesshours to improving the facility. It was a low-budget course with nofairway sprinkling system. When it was dry, a line drive off thetee could roll another 70-100 yards after landing on concrete-hardfairways.

Many youngsters fell in love with the game of golf at the oldfacility. The fairways were shared with herds of deer in thewinter. Greens were a favorite dining area.

Gradually, the course improved and nine attractive holes wereadded. Greenlee retired from teaching but he maintained the old proshop and learned more about greenskeeping. Wolf Hollow, once adream, became a reality in the late 1980s.

The new clubhouse, completed last fall, resembles a palace comparedto the original facility. It was upgraded to a doublewide mobilehome when Wolf Hollow first was completed.

Presently, a large concrete veranda, complete with overhead fans,graces the eastern side of the clubhouse. It is 15 feet wide and 65feet long. Rocking chairs allow folks the opportunity to eye theninth and 18 greens the same time. Tables can be erected, making ita covered, comfortable area for outside lunches.

“Now, when I offer Wolf Hollow for a company outing or othertournaments, I can point out our new facilities,” said Ross.”That’s a big plus.”

Currently, there are 185 club members. Ross anticipates reaching200 before summer arrives. The new clubhouse makes membershippotential unlimited.

Fore!

Congratulations to the Bogue Chitto Lady Cats and the LawrenceCounty Lady Cougars for reaching the MHSAA State Tournament. TheLady Cats, coached by Christi Terrell, are making there first Class1A state tourney appearance since 2002.

BC’s girls (30-2)were runners-up to Ethel in the South Mississippi1A Tournament. They will face H.W. Byers of Holly Springs Fridaynight at 6:30 in Jackson’s Mississippi Coliseum.

The Lady Cougars, coached by Vicki Rutland, are thrilled to bemaking a state tournament appearance. They won the South 4A titleby defeating South Jones in overtime.

The Lady Cougars (24-8) will play North 4A runner-up PontotocMonday at 6:30 p.m. in the Big House, a.k.a. MississippiColiseum.

Write to sports editor Tom Goetz, c/o The DAILY LEADER, P.O.BOX 551, Brookhaven, MS 39601, or e-mailsports@dailyleader.com