Growing up a stone’s throw away from one of the state’s premier golf courses has proven to be a benefit to the Panorama High School boys golf team, who head to the state meet in Ames tomorrow. For sophomore Will Babcock, the game runs in his family’s blood. His father, Gary Babcock, is the head PGA Golf Professional at Lake Panorama National Golf Course. Panorama Head Coach Hal Rosso says that many of the boys have been on the links since a young age. “There’s a couple that have. Will (Babcock) and George (Appleseth), the two sophomores, have been playing junior golf, and I know Will has a while, for sure. Since five or six years old he was the peewee champion at Grinnell several times. George has been playing a long time, too. Will’s dad is the pro at Panorama, so he gets a lot of support there. Jordan Eng has played a lot of junior golf, too.”

The Panorama boys tee off at the Ames Golf and Country Club Friday at noon.