This ball’s for Barry
Wilson’s Carlbon making good on promise to his late grandfather
Tyler Carlbon and older sister Lexis knew at a young age that when they walked into their grandparents’ Bath home, the TV would be tuned into The Golf Channel.
The elementary school-aged siblings cringed, but they grew to first tolerate then enjoy watching the sport because they loved spending time with their grandfather, Barry Hamlin.
Until this summer, Carlbon played nine holes three times with Hamlin, a former New Jersey state championship football player at Delaware Valley Regional who later was a teacher and principal at Pleasant Valley.
Hamlin helped Carlbon and his sister with any sport they played growing up. When Carlbon stopped playing basketball in his freshman season at Wilson, Hamlin warned his grandson that he’d regret not playing a sport.
Apromise was borne out of that conversation. Carlbon assured Hamlin that he would join the Warriors’ golf team before finishing high school.
Hamlin developed dementia. It led him to stop playing in golf leagues because he forgot the rules. He missed Lexis’ high school graduation and eventually had to enter an assisted living facility before passing awayonSept. 10, 2019, at age 73.
Carl bona nd a few friends went to Lucky Strokes Golf & Grill this summer when COVID-19 restrictions eased. Using his grandfather’s clubs, the 17-year-old consistently hit the ball farther than his friends, who then asked: ’Why don’t you go out for the golf team?’
The stars were aligned. It was time for Carlbon to follow through on his promise.
He joined coach Mike Fowler’s golf team at Wilson.
His first competitive score: 135.
“That’s awful,” he recalled with more than a little disgust in his voice.
Coach Fowler and teammates Ethan Haas, Owen Coursen, Hunter Bochniak and Robbie Mertz have been supportive, providing tips and words of encouragement fromthe start.
Carlbon was appreciative and receptive. Thanks to Fowler, the senior reduced his slice. Thanks to supportive teammates, his loose shots were not as wild or as often. His second-round score: 107. “His improvements have been incredible ,” Fowler said .“When he first cameout, his slice on hole 1 [at Morgan Hill Golf Course in East on] was so bad he was on the other fairway. As we were playing, he started to struggle. I told him not to worry about it. I told him that at the next practice, I’ d show him a few things.
“He texted meand said, ‘Coach, whatever you tell me, I’ll do. I’m very coachable.’ I ran him through a couple drills hitting with the net and went to the course. He put those drills into practice. It was remarkable. Anything I tell him he takes it and runs with it.”
Carlbon also is running with another of his grandfather’ s wishes. He is working on a career path in visual journalism.
The Wilson senior is doing an internship this year with D 11 sports. com. He also applied to West Virginia University for sports and adventure media.
“This is a man of my word-type season,” he said. “My grandfather got me into sports. He told methat when I get older that he could see me being a sports announcer.
“When I joined the golf team, I didn’t think I’d hit it past the women’s tees,” Carlbon admitted. “But I can make it from Point A to Point B. It might take a few shots, but Ethan, Owen, Robbie and Hunter have helped me a lot.
“Coach Fowler doesn’t get enough credit, either. He went over the rules with me. Red stake, yellow stake, green stake. I didn’t know what was going on .”
Carlbon has no grand illusions of challenging Notre Dame-GP’s Ben Ortwein, reigning Colonial League champion and 10th-place finisher at the 2019 PIAA-Class 2A Golf Championships.
But he is having fun with his friends and proud to have followed through on a promise to someone who he loved immeasurably.
“My sister and I looked up to him so much,” Carlbon said.
With every swing, Carlbon is holding on to, literally, and honoring someone so near and dear to him.