Tough call was the right call for LCHS's Shelton

Sometimes, doing the right thing can be painful.

Everything was setting up for Lucas Shelton's swan song as a golfer at Lauderdale County to be a memorable one.

With a solid lineup and the AHSAA state tournament scheduled for next week in town, Shelton and his teammates were confident they could make a run at the school's first state championship.

A senior, Shelton was looking forward to his fifth-straight trip to the state tournament. He played in his first state tournament as an eighth-grader. What better way to end a career by playing well at home?

Two recent events have left Shelton a spectator next week. The first was the dismissal of two players for disciplinary reasons before the sectional tournament. The second, and most significant in Shelton's world, was an act of honesty that cost him his final high school tournament.

When Shelton finished play at Monday's sub-state, he was certain his score was 82. But the competitor keeping his scorecard had him for an 81.

Shelton said he replayed the round in his mind but couldn't figure out the discrepancy. He signed for an 81.

That score was good enough to qualify for the state tournament along with Logan Hubbard and Shelton's teammate, Conner Godsey.

Still, Shelton said something didn't feel quite right when he walked away from the scorer's table. He replayed the round in his head again. And then he remembered - he took a penalty drop on No. 13, a par 3. The player keeping his score wrote down '4.' Shelton's score was a '5.'

Shelton knew what he had to do, even though it was going to cost him a spot in the state tournament.

"I had to make it right," he said.

Because he signed an incorrect scorecard, Shelton was disqualified.

Shelton said only he and one of his competitors saw the drop. By the time he figured out the scoring mistake, nearly everyone at the tournament was gone, and his 81 was posted.

It would have been easy for Shelton to have maintained his silence and played next week. No harm, no foul. right?

Instead, Shelton took the high road despite the consequences.

He said he never considered the low road.

"I couldn't have lived with myself if I didn't say something," Shelton said. "I wanted to play in the state tournament, but you have to get in the right way. I had to tell them what happened."

Coach Brant Llewellyn said it would have been easy for Shelton to have kept quiet.

"I'm not sure how many kids would have done that," Llewellyn said. "To disqualify yourself even though it cost him his fifth state tournament is beyond admirable. I told him I was proud of him for doing it."

Days later, Shelton still isn't second-guessing his decision.

"Golf is a gentleman's game," he said. "You need to learn how to play it the right way and not take shortcuts."

Shelton learned a golf lesson late Monday afternoon. What can't be taught are integrity and honesty. Those qualities come from within, and except in this instance, often are in short supply.