Tanner Vest wasn’t exactly born with a golf club in his hands, but for quite some time he has appeared destined for big things on the links.
Thursday afternoon, part of that destiny played out when the Shady Spring standout signed a Division I National Letter of Intent to play golf at Marshall University.
“This is a goal that I set for myself. Once I thought Marshall in my head, I knew I wanted to go to Marshall,” Vest said. “Something else that makes this day special is when I look around, I see so many people here that have helped me throughout it all. Seeing all of them here watching me realize one of my goals is really something special.”
Shady Spring head golf coach Greg Daniel was one of the many on hand for the signing and talked about one of his biggest stars.
“He has been such a joy to coach,” Daniel said. “He is one of the reasons I have stayed with it. Not because of how great a golfer he is, but how great a young man he has been. He is fun to be around and he is a great leader.”
Vest’s leadership skills were never more evident than this past September when Shady Spring won the Class AA Region 3 title to qualify for the state golf tournament.
“In the regionals, he didn’t play his best, but he encouraged the other players and was so excited that the other kids were able to play well,” Daniel said.
The list of accomplishments for the future Marshall golfer is impressive.
Vest helped lead Shady Spring to a Class AA golf state championship in 2020 and finished runner-up for the individual title the last two seasons.
This past season he led Shady Spring to the Coalfield Conference title as the low medalist and was named Lootpress Male Golfer of the Year.
His biggest accomplishment to date was a historic win at the W.Va. Four-Ball Championship last June.
Teaming with his good friend Bryson Beaver, who now plays for WVU Tech, the two-some beat some of the best players in the state and became the youngest champions of the prestigious event.
Defending that title will be on the list of events for Vest this summer.
“We want to repeat at the Four-Ball championship for sure,” Vest said. “The big goals for me will be to get in the U.S. Amateur and the U.S. Jr. Amateur. I also really want to play well in the W.Va. Amateur. I love the Greenbrier, that is where it all started for me.”
A key factor for Vest choosing to attend Marshall was head coach Matt Grobe. Grobe is the son of Huntington native and former Marshall assistant football coach Jim Grobe, who was also the head football coach at Wake Forest University for 12 seasons.
“I love coach Grobe. He is one of the best guys that I have every met. We see eye-to-eye on it seems like everything,” Vest said. “I think he will make sure I get where I need to be and play to the best of my ability.”
Daniel feels Vest is already primed to be a highly successful player at the nest level.
“Right now, Tanner does not have a weakness. He hits it long and straight and he is a good putter,” Daniel said. “He just needs to tidy up a few things and not have the bad holes that blow you out of a round.”
Vest also has good friends that are already playing college golf to go to for advice.
Former Shady Spring standout, and teammate on the 2020 state championship team, Todd Duncan, plays for West Virginia University. Good friends Jackson Hill and Zan Hill play for Wofford College and Concord University, respectively.
“I have worked hard on improving my mental game and my putting. That has come the longest way,” Vest said. “The other guys can teach me things I need in college golf like shots I need to hit and how to play on the different types of grass.”
In an interesting twist to their college careers, there is a good chance that Duncan and Vest could meet on the links in a WVU vs. Marshall showdown one day.
“Hopefully Todd and I can get in the same group. There will definitely be some chirping that day,” Vest said, laughing.