By Stan Olenik, Editor-Publisher

It is a good time to be Erik Erlenkeuser.

A successful year on the golf course earned the tall junior golfer from Anderson the South Carolina Golf Association Jay Haas award as the top junior in the state.

It was a goal the TL Hanna High School golfer set for himself at the start of the season and winning the award was as satisfying an experience as Erlenkeuser hoped it would be.

“This is what I hoped for and even more, this is a great experience,” he said after receiving the Haas award. “I’m very proud of myself and my family and all the people who helped me. This is very special,” he said.

The Anderson Junior finished on top of the season long Heritage Classic Points race in front of Greer’s Dawson Szabo, Moore’s Will Ruth and last year’s Haas Player of the Year, Bennett Scaletta, his Yellow Jacket teammate.

Erlenkeuser had the best season long stroke average at 71.76, almost a full shot better than the next golfer on the list.

His list of accomplishments included a pair of High School tournament wins. He posted runner-up finishes at The Blade and the Carolinas Golf Association Junior Championship before he broke through for his first SCJGA Major title with a victory at the Harvey Brock Orange Jacket Classic

He followed the win up with an impressive showing in the Notah Begay national championship finishing second in his age group.

In 17 events, after the end of the high school season, Erlenkeuser had 12 top-10 finishes, 6 top-5s, three runner-ups and the win at Boscobel.

In a first for the 30 year old award Erlenkeuser followed teammate Bennett Scaletta as a Haas Award winners.

It was the first time a school has produced back to back winners of the award. It also was the third time a Hanna golfer has been honored with the Haas Award. Yellow Jacket golfer Phillip Mollica was the state’s top junior in 2003.

Haas, who has lent his name and time to recognize the top junior in South Carolina, noted the growth of the game and also the growth of the players.

The highly decorated PGATour veteran has helped honor the state’s top junior since the award began in 1995.

There is a sizable difference between Erlenkeuser at almost 6 foot 7 inches and Haas, who is right at 6 feet.

“Better athletes, bigger athletes are playing golf,” said Haas. “A long time ago the perfect height was just about 6 feet. Arnold was a little taller, Jack a little shorter but now so many players are taller and stronger than we were,” said the 1975 NCAA individual champion.

The best player in the game today is Scottie Scheffler and he tops out at 6 feet 4 inches. There are a host of outstanding players who are even taller.

Golfers had long suffered from the idea they were not really athletes, but since Tiger Woods about all golfers have adapted training techniques that used to be common to other sports and it has shown in the results

“I think what has happened over the years is really good athletes have seen they can have a long professional career playing golf instead of just a few years in other sports,” noted the PGATour’s all-time leader in tournament cuts made.

Erlenkeuser recalled a couple of growth spurts that forced him to adjust his game as he grew. He thinks he may have finished growing and now wants to concentrate on working to be better.

“I’m a perfectionist. I want to achieve perfection in everything I do. In golf there is no such thing as that so that is why I’m addicted. I know I want to work hard to keep getting better all of my life,” he said.

The next goal Erlenkeuser has set for himself involves his Hanna High School team. The Yellow Jackets have won back to back South Carolina High School League 5A championships and as a junior Erlenkeuser hopes he can help his school win a couple more.

“With Bennett (Scaletta, 2023 Haas Award winner) and me both being so young and having really good golfers on the team I want to win our third straight title this year and a fourth next year,” he said.

Erlenkeuser would also like to return to Thornblade Club and receive another award from Haas next year.

“This is very special to me. I’m really enjoying the moment and hope I can be back here again next year,” concluded the 2024 Haas Award winner.