By Shannon Fagan, WEIS Sports Director
PIEDMONT – If there was a sport Piedmont senior Caden Wood might’ve envisioned himself playing at the next level, it was basketball.
That all changed his sophomore year when he put in the time and effort on the golf course.
On Wednesday, Wood’s effort turned into a scholarship. He signed with the Snead State Parsons.
“Growing up, I was always a big basketball person, but about two years ago, golf just hit me. I was just passionate about it,” Wood said. “For the past two years, I’ve spent all my time and effort into golf. It’s the most calming thing for me.”
“I think that was a really hard choice for him,” Piedmont second-year golf coach Erin Allen said. “Leading to this day, it was the best choice for him to continue pursuing and pour in to this sport. That natural talent he has really helped him to where he is today.”
Allen said Wood’s strongest attribute on the course is his iron play.
“I know sometimes when he gets in trouble, he’s very smart in how he gets out of that trouble. He doesn’t let it snowball effect his round,” she said. “He’ll have a bad hole, it is what it is, then goes on to the next hole. I think that’s a testament to his low scores on the course because it’s so easy in golf to snowball those bad holes. Next hole, we’ve moved on, we’re parring, or birdie. I think that’s his strength across the board.”
Wood shot 77 last year in the Class 3A sub-state round as an individual to qualify for the state tournament. He tied for 14th at state with two rounds of 84 at Oxmoor Valley Golf Course on the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail in Birmingham.
It’s an experience Wood said motivates him for his senior season at Piedmont and catapult him on to Snead.
“(State) got me that feeling that I know I need to get back there and have that again,” Wood said.
Wood also wants that feeling of competing at state this season for his teammates as well, Allen said.
“Half of practice he’s working on himself, and half of it he’s pouring into his teammates,” Allen said. “He’s trying to help them, give them strategy, give them tips just as much as I am because he wants us to be successful.
“I have three juniors who it’s their first time to play on the golf team, and he’s really wanting to pour into them. I think that just speaks for his character. Not only does he love this game, he wants to be successful and he wants his teammates to be there too.”
Piedmont is scheduled to open its 2026 golf season Feb. 24 against Lincoln at Silver Lakes.
“All of it is up from here,” Wood said. “I’ve had two, about to be three, really good years of Piedmont golf. I’ve had my family and friends support me throughout the journey. My coaches have given me every possible opportunity I can have to succeed. I’ve taken that opportunity and I’m excited to get to Snead to get it rolling.”
