ADAM CARPENTER ALEX CARPENTER LUKE CARPENTER
18 shots better and 3 better than par. It takes a while and takes experience to realize everybody out there isn’t your friend.” Of the 75 days off from school in the summer, the Carpenters were on the road 62 of the days going from tournament to Adam Carpenter tournament. Sometimes, Larry and Lisa Age 18 and all the boys are together; other times, High School GPA 4.1 one parent may be with Luke and other Career Best 18 (tournament, par 72) with the twins. 65 Driver clubhead speed 115 mph If they weren’t playing golf, it’s likely all Current handicap index 0.6 the Carpenters would be fishing. Adam, sounding a lot like PGA Tour pro Ken Playing Highlights Duke, says he’d often rather be fishing • Optimist International All than anywhere else. Scholastic Golf Team 2008 • 9th place, American Junior The Carpenter family was even the star Golf Association (AJGA) Open of an ESPN Outdoors traveling fishing Tournament, Springfield, Mo., show, “The Casting Crew,” when they August, 2008 lived in St. Louis. • 24th place finish, AJGA Open in If Golf Channel is looking for another Ringgold, Ga., June 2008 • 24th place, Texas Oklahoma Golf reality show like “Highway 18” or “School Tournament, Wichita Falls, Texas, of Golf,” it might want to check out the June 2008 Family Carpenter. Larry has gotten his • 17th place, AJGA Bass Pro Shop/ scores regularly into the low 80s, Lisa Payne Stewart Open Tournament, said, while she’s able to break 100. The Springfield, Mo., August 2007 • 8th place, AJGA Medicus boys give them handicap strokes to make Tournament, Texarkana, Texas, April it even, and fun. 2007 They do all seem to have fun around • 1st place, Optimist International the course. Qualifier, Little Rock, June 2007 The parents, it seems, wouldn’t have • 2nd place, Texas Junior Golf Tour, Bear Creek, Dallas, April 2008 it any other way. Lisa notes that the time • 2nd place, TJGT, Indian Creek Golf spent at the course has kept her boys away Course, Dallas, October 2007 from other distractions. Even when they • Six-time winner, Arkansas State were younger, Larry and Lisa could leave Golf Association (ASGA) Junior them at First Tee with other golfing kids Tournaments, 2007 and not worry what they were doing. “Probably the most impressive to me about the kids and Larry and Lisa is the way go, but he’s not two years behind them they carry themselves,” says Cannarozzo, in his level of golf ... The older brothers who is called on for instruction by the really push him.” boys from time to time, or to fine tune Differences what they’ve learned at the golf schools. Each Carpenter has a different person“They are fine young kids and the parents ality on the course, have done a great based on the day job of raising them. this writer spent It’s always ‘please,’ with them. They or ‘yes sir.’ They are each teed it up from quality kids and the tips of Chenal’s their golf games Bear Den Mountain are very good. At course, Alex paired Chenal, we see a lot with Luke and Adam of good kids, but paired with Arkanthe fact that they sas Baptist teammate can throw a 65 up Corbin Renner, who there on a given moved back to Little round, that’s pretty Rock after spending impressive.” several years in the Of the trio of Dallas-Fort Worth boys, Alex is the area. most certain about Adam is outwardly making golf his confident and not at professional career. all shy about giving Adam and Luke may Focus: Adam Carpenter, putting, and brother the business to the be headed toward Alex spend practice time on the short game. other boys. When business. he hits a monster drive a little too far left, Cannarozzo says Luke Carpenter, who compared with Alex’s pin-point 290-yard is 17 months behind in age, “may end up blast down the middle, he just moves on being the best one. He’s got two years to
Alex Carpenter
Luke Carpenter
Age 18 High School GPA 3.77 Career Best 18 (tournament, par 72) 66 Driver clubhead speed 115 mph Current handicap index 0.0
Age 16 High School GPA 3.86 Career Best 18 (tournament, par 72) 69 Driver clubhead speed 100 mph
Playing Highlights
Playing Highlights
• Player of the Year 2007, AllAmerican Team, National High School Golf Coaches Association, August 2007 • 13th place, American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) Open Tournament, Springfield, Mo., August, 2008 • 16th place, AJGA Open Tournament, Fayetteville, July, 2008 • 23rd place, AJGA Open Tournament, Abilene, Texas, July, 2008 • Winner, Texas Oklahoma 52nd Junior Championship, Wichita Falls, Texas, June 2008. • 8th place, AGJA Open Tournament, Horseshoe Bend, Roswell, Ga., April 2008 • 20th place, AJGA Open Tournament, Bass Pro/Payne Stewart Open Tournament, Springfield, Missouri, August 2007 • 1st place, AGJA “Medicus PostSeason Tournament,” August 2006 (first AJGA tournament as participant)
• 30th place, American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) Open Tournament, Fayetteville, July, 2008 • 6th place, 16 Year old age group, Texas Oklahoma (TO) 52nd Junior Championship • 17th place, 16-18 year olds, Texas Junior Golf Tour, Bear Creek, Dallas, April 2008 • 14th place, 16-18 year olds Q School Challenge, TJGT, Cypresswood, Texas, January 2008 • 3rd place, 12-15 year olds, TJGT, Indian Creek Golf Course, Dallas, October 2007 • 4th place, 12-15 year olds, TJGT, Walden on Lake Conroe, Dallas, December 2006 • 1st place, 16 year olds, Greater Little Rock Junior Championship, May 2008 • 2nd place, 16 year-old division, 8th place overall, Rebsamen Park Junior Championship, 2008 • 2nd place, 14- to 15-year-old division, Rebsamen Park Junior Championship, June 2007
and figures a way to get the ball on the green. Alex is quietly confident. Luke has a little more of Adam’s outward selfassuredness. Adam, who Lisa says is “our math guy” with his quick calculations of averages and the like, grinds his way to pars. They each take turns draining a birdie putt or two on each other, or outscrambling the other. “They carry themselves as well off the course as on,” Cannarozzo said. “They’re not going to be throwing clubs or acting immature on the course. A 16-year-old kid who hits a bad shot, it’s hard not to get upset, but they don’t. That’s what makes them so good, their discipline and how they handle the mental game. They know how to respond and not overreact to a situation. They channel a negative into a positive to make them that much better. “If they play a bad round of golf, they aren’t going to sit around and pout about it. They’re going to the driving range and work it out.” Cannarozzo says the boys’ discipline comes from the parents “being very goaloriented people ... They bring out the best in you.” He adds that the game never seems to get old for the boys, and that they’re always exuding an excitement about being
around the course. “All three are great players and great ball strikers, but what impresses me the most is, they just have that drive about them, they are very driven. They’re going to maximize their potential and it very well could be playing for a living if that’s what they want to do.” The hotel has become successful – the boys have been employed in every aspect of running the facility, Alex said — and the family enjoys the amenities and comforts they’ve found in Little Rock, Lisa Carpenter says. It’s not far from her hometown of Dallas, while Larry grew up in Hickory, N.C. It’s a pace that suits the family better than St. Louis, “and down here they know what you mean when you order sweet tea,” Lisa said. Now, girlfriends and cars and cell phones are distractions typical for high school boys, but golf is still the main focus outside of family, school and church. After the state high school season is over, the boys will be playing in Texas in a couple of events around the holiday season, and focusing on attending college. When they’re together, though, they’ll certain to be found at the golf course. m
October 2008 ArkansasSports360.com 35
Alex Carpenter
Luke Carpenter
Age 18 High School GPA 3.77 Career Best 18 (tournament, par 72) 66 Driver clubhead speed 115 mph Current handicap index 0.0
Age 16 High School GPA 3.86 Career Best 18 (tournament, par 72) 69 Driver clubhead speed 100 mph
Playing Highlights
Playing Highlights
• Player of the Year 2007, AllAmerican Team, National High School Golf Coaches Association, August 2007 • 13th place, American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) Open Tournament, Springfield, Mo., August, 2008 • 16th place, AJGA Open Tournament, Fayetteville, July, 2008 • 23rd place, AJGA Open Tournament, Abilene, Texas, July, 2008 • Winner, Texas Oklahoma 52nd Junior Championship, Wichita Falls, Texas, June 2008. • 8th place, AGJA Open Tournament, Horseshoe Bend, Roswell, Ga., April 2008 • 20th place, AJGA Open Tournament, Bass Pro/Payne Stewart Open Tournament, Springfield, Missouri, August 2007 • 1st place, AGJA “Medicus PostSeason Tournament,” August 2006 (first AJGA tournament as participant)
• 30th place, American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) Open Tournament, Fayetteville, July, 2008 • 6th place, 16 Year old age group, Texas Oklahoma (TO) 52nd Junior Championship • 17th place, 16-18 year olds, Texas Junior Golf Tour, Bear Creek, Dallas, April 2008 • 14th place, 16-18 year olds Q School Challenge, TJGT, Cypresswood, Texas, January 2008 • 3rd place, 12-15 year olds, TJGT, Indian Creek Golf Course, Dallas, October 2007 • 4th place, 12-15 year olds, TJGT, Walden on Lake Conroe, Dallas, December 2006 • 1st place, 16 year olds, Greater Little Rock Junior Championship, May 2008 • 2nd place, 16 year-old division, 8th place overall, Rebsamen Park Junior Championship, 2008 • 2nd place, 14- to 15-year-old division, Rebsamen Park Junior Championship, June 2007
and figures a way to get the ball on the green. Alex is quietly confident. Luke has a little more of Adam’s outward selfassuredness. Adam, who Lisa says is “our math guy” with his quick calculations of averages and the like, grinds his way to pars. They each take turns draining a birdie putt or two on each other, or outscrambling the other. “They carry themselves as well off the course as on,” Cannarozzo said. “They’re not going to be throwing clubs or acting immature on the course. A 16-year-old kid who hits a bad shot, it’s hard not to get upset, but they don’t. That’s what makes them so good, their discipline and how they handle the mental game. They know how to respond and not overreact to a situation. They channel a negative into a positive to make them that much better. “If they play a bad round of golf, they aren’t going to sit around and pout about it. They’re going to the driving range and work it out.” Cannarozzo says the boys’ discipline comes from the parents “being very goaloriented people ... They bring out the best in you.” He adds that the game never seems to get old for the boys, and that they’re always exuding an excitement about being
around the course. “All three are great players and great ball strikers, but what impresses me the most is, they just have that drive about them, they are very driven. They’re going to maximize their potential and it very well could be playing for a living if that’s what they want to do.” The hotel has become successful – the boys have been employed in every aspect of running the facility, Alex said — and the family enjoys the amenities and comforts they’ve found in Little Rock, Lisa Carpenter says. It’s not far from her hometown of Dallas, while Larry grew up in Hickory, N.C. It’s a pace that suits the family better than St. Louis, “and down here they know what you mean when you order sweet tea,” Lisa said. Now, girlfriends and cars and cell phones are distractions typical for high school boys, but golf is still the main focus outside of family, school and church. After the state high school season is over, the boys will be playing in Texas in a couple of events around the holiday season, and focusing on attending college. When they’re together, though, they’ll certain to be found at the golf course. m
October 2008 ArkansasSports360.com 35
