By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
Union City, Tenn.–Carter Walton was looking for a place to continue playing golf competitively.
With the help of his father, Donnie, he found it.
Walton, who qualified for the state tournament in his senior season at Union City High School last fall, recently signed a full scholarship to extend his time on the links at Bishop State Community College in Mobile, Ala.
BSCC is a junior college with an undergraduate enrollment of around 2,500 and plays around “12 to 14 tournaments” each fall and spring, according to Walton. He will join teammates from Alabama, South Carolina and Georgia, and he believes he’ll be the first player from Tennessee to wear the Green and Gold of the Wildcats.
Walton’s path to Mobile was partly orchestrated by his father, who helped the youngest of his two sons find his home for the next two years.
“Big shout out to my dad,” Carter said. “He helped me identify several colleges that I then sent emails to when I was looking for the right place for me.
“I had not heard of the school before, but I got a correspondence back from Coach (Ronald) Davis and we started communication. I then set up a visit, toured the campus and housing options and ended up playing a round with a couple of my future teammates.
“And I felt like I found the place for me.”
Following in the footsteps of his brother, Tyler, Carter made the state tournament his senior season. He placed in the top half of the 64-player field at the Small Division tourney in Manchester, placing 25th in the two-day event.
“I’ve always been competitive with Tyler,” he said. “But this was more about me and basically getting away from home and out of Tennessee. I fell in love with the game of golf when I was a freshman, and I feel as if I’ve been blessed by God with some ability. I hope I can play well enough to get an opportunity to play at a four-year school after Bishop State.
“And this is a chance for me to explore and expand, too. I think it will be the ultimate adventure.”
A Top 10 member of his class and a member of the school’s magnet program, Walton — who was also one of two Union City School representatives in the Heisman Scholarship Program — will report to the BSCC campus in early September.
Until then, he’ll polish his game by playing in a handful of tournaments on the Sned’s Tour — the premier junior golf circuit in Tennessee — this summer.
Carter is the son of Donnie and Kelly Walton.