PIEDMONT — Ricky Capps started playing golf “later in life,” in his mid-to-late 20s. And he enjoyed it so much, he didn’t want his son, Zack, to miss out on the game.

Although Zack doesn’t remember playing before he could walk, he said golf has part of his life for as long as he can remember — back when he played with plastic clubs and a cut-down 9-iron.

“The earliest pictures, I’ve got a golf club in my hand,” Zack said.

Ricky’s watched his son blossom from those early days to the S.C. Junior Golf Association, through the high school ranks at Wren, and finally to play on Wofford’s team this fall.

It was a journey that began as “something he and I could do together,” Ricky said, and materialized into an addiction for Zack.

“It always keeps you coming back,” said Zack, a Wren senior. “You hit that one shot like Tiger Woods, and it makes you think you can do it every time, so you just keep trying to get to that level. It has an addicting side to it.”

That addiction paid off this season for the Anderson Independent-Mail Player of the Year, who finished eighth at the state tournament, and carded a 35.7 nine-hole stroke average on the season. Capps also had an 18-hole average of 75.3, and won all three matches in the North-South Challenge Cup.

Capps has played No. 1 at Wren the last two seasons, but said he didn’t change much about his game to lower his scores this season. A main factor could have been rising confidence after breaking par early last summer at the Florence Junior Boys Invitational.

“It’s kind of like riding a bike,” he said. “Once you do it once, it gets a lot easier. I guess it comes with maturity. I haven’t done that much different, it just kind of clicked.”

Wren coach Fran Campbell has noticed a stead power surge with Capps the last two years. When Capps joined the varsity team as a seventh grader, he’d hit a driver on long par-3s.

“Now he’s hitting a 7-iron,” Campbell said.

And Campbell added that the added confidence Capps has enjoyed lately has helped lower his scores.

“He just felt like he was going to play (well) every time he went out,” the coach said. “That is so huge in golf, maybe more than any sport.”

Ricky remembers father and son first sharing the same tee when Zack was a ninth or 10th grader. Shortly after, Zack hit the ball as long as his dad.

Now, he’s 40 yards past him.

“You still have to get it in the hole,” Ricky said he tells Zack. “The problem with that is he’s beating me fairly often. But it’s very rewarding to see your son play that well.”

Anderson Independent-Mail all-area golf team

ZACK CAPPS, WREN SENIOR

The only area golfer with a nine-hole stroke average under par, Capps averaged 35.7. An all-conference selection, he averaged 75.3 for 18 holes, and finished eighth at the state tournament. The Wofford signee won two high school tournaments, and all three matches at the North-South Challenge Cup.

THOMAS HORNE, ABBEVILLE SENIOR

The Panthers MVP, Horne averaged 39.1 on nine holes in the regular season. A member of the all-Skyline region team for four years, Horne shot a 75 at the Upper State tournament, and 75-80 at the state tournament to finish in ninth and qualify for all-state honors.

STEVEN BRYANT, BELTON-HONEA PATH JUNIOR

The all-region selection shot an 8-over 152 at the region tournament to qualify for the Upper State. There, he carded a 74, fourth best out of a field of 78, at Links O’Tryon, which qualified him for the state tournament at Quail Creek in Conway. He finished the season with a 38.5 stroke average.

SEAN HASSELL, WALHALLA SOPHOMORE

After finishing in second — four shots off the lead — at the Skyline region tournament, Hassell took all-state honors with an 85-69 at Village Greens Golf Club. The 69 was one of two state tournament scores under 70, and one of three to break par. He had a 36.7 stroke average, and took medalist honors in 13 of the team’s 16 matches.

RANDALL POOLE, PALMETTO SOPHOMORE

The Skyline Player of the Year had a 39.4 average and was the region tournament medalist (75, 72). He also shot a 79 to finish in the top eight at the Upper State tournament. Shot 84-77 at the state tournament to help the Mustangs to a seventh place finish.