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Former Boone Golfer Proving Why She’s One of the Top High School Golfers in the Country

Macy Pate (Photo courtesy of @ReaganGirlsGolf on Twitter)

By Nathan Ham

Macy Pate is no stranger to the High Country. The former Boone resident was once a participant in the national Drive, Chip and Putt competition at the age of 10. Founded in 2013 through the Master’s Tournament, United States Golf Association and The PGA of America, the Drive, Chip and Putt competition is a nationwide junior golf development event aimed at growing the game by focusing on the three fundamental skills of golf. 

Now at Reagan High School in Pfafftown, which is roughly nine miles from Winston-Salem, Pate is still finding plenty of success on the course. Recently, the sophomore fired a 57 at the Central Piedmont 4A Conference Championship at Bermuda Run Country Club to lead Reagan High School to a 13th straight conference championship. Her 14-under score of 57 also broke a North Carolina High School Athletic Association record for women’s golf. The previous record was a 61, held by Gina Kim (2016, Chapel Hill High School) and Jennifer Chang (2017, Athens Drive High School). Kim is currently a senior at Duke and Chang is on the LPGA Tour after finishing up her collegiate career at the University of Southern California. 

Macy’s parents, Chris and Martha, both found jobs in Winston-Salem in 2020 and moved away from the High Country. This gave her a chance to play on not only one of the best high school teams in the state but also in the entire country. During Pate’s freshman year, Reagan finished ranked as the #1 high school team in the nation during the 2020-21 season by the National High School Golf Association. 

Outside of high school competition this past summer, Macy took first place in the North Carolina Junior Girls’ Championship, earned another victory at the Twin States Junior Girls’ Championship and won the Carolinas Junior Girls’ Championship. 

Reagan High School won the 4A Central Regional on Wednesday to earn a spot in the NCHSAA 4A State Championship. Pate finished second behind teammate and future Virginia Tech Hokie Morgan Ketchum. 

The 4A state championship will be played at the Pinehurst No. 5 course on October 25-26.