East Buchanan's Chris Cooksley was hooked on golf from day one

Chris Cooksley developed an immediate love for golf.

He only needed one trip to the course with his grandparents and a few putts around the greens to get hooked.

'I was 6 or 7,' said Cooksley, a junior at East Buchanan. 'It just clicked then. I just liked it a lot. My brother and I both did.'

The passion for the sport has allowed Cooksley to become one of the state's top golfers. He will make his third appearance at the Class 1A state golf meet Friday and Saturday at American Legion Golf Course in Marshalltown.

Cooksley won a state title as a freshman and tied for third last year. He leads 1A with a 72.5 18-hole average. Cooksley returns with a chance to reclaim gold.

'I'm real excited for it,' said Cooksley, who was district runner-up to Calamus-Wheatland's Austin Rickertsen. 'I always look forward to it, but nothing is given so you always have to practice hard and focus on every shot, every hole.'

Cooksley prepared for this season, playing numerous junior tournaments and traveling many miles for competition. He also spent time golfing with his older brother, Curt, who is a member of the Upper Iowa golf team.

They hone their skills during some contests, including some good-natured smack talk. Cooksley has been influenced by his older sibling and looks up to him.

'We're always out here competing against each other, trying to beat the other,' Cooksley said. 'He's a really good role model for me.

'He (wins) most of the time. It is back-and-forth.'

Cooksley expects a good following this weekend. He said his brother will be there and so will both sets of grandparents, including Ivan and Kay Cole, who took him on that very first round. He appreciates the support.

'It means a lot,' Cooksley said. 'Hopefully, I'll post a good score in front of them. They'll be proud of whatever I do, but it's nice to have them follow me.'

Whether it's attempting to beat those he is playing with or improving his game, golf's constant challenge is why he likes it so much.

'There's always something different each time you go out,' Cooksley said. 'Just being with your friends, and be in that competitive mode all the time when you're playing, is a lot of fun.

'You want to do better than your previous rounds. You want to get better at everything.'

East Buchanan Coach Scott Zhiss said Cooksley is a driven individual. He dedicates the time to reach new heights. The focus over the last year has been on his short game, putting and chipping on the practice green.

'He goes out every day and puts in the work,' Zhiss said. 'He lets his game progress from there. He's a solid player and he works on every aspect of the game.'

Cooksley looked to be in line for his second straight crown after the first day at state in 2015. He shot 70, holding a one-stroke lead. He scored 10 on the final two holes of the last round and was two strokes off the winning score.

'I know he wasn't pleased with the way he played, probably on the last couple holes last year,' Zhiss said. 'I'm sure he'd like to get down there and improve on that. I think that is probably in his thoughts.'

He will have company. The Buccaneers are the top-returning team, placing second last season. Hunter Schulte tied for ninth last year and 10th in 2014. The two are a strong tandem, leading East Buchanan. Schulte averages less than 81 per round.

'The two of them are focused but they are lighthearted,' Zhiss said. 'They are trying to improve on all that but they sure find time to work in some fun. It helps both of them.'

East Buchanan ranks second in 1A with a 322.67 team scoring average. The Buccaneers have been solid all year with an emphasis on doing their best. Outside of the opening practices, they have not talked about a state team title.

'We really don't talk about the results,' Zhiss said. 'Our focus is on getting better and competing. With that being said, we want to do well when we get down there. Other teams have that same goal, too.'

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