As a freshman, Emmett Spence wasn’t one of the best-scoring players on the Washington-Liberty Generals high-school golf team.
By the next fall, though, his play significantly improved. As a sophomore, Spence began consistently carding impressive low scores in postseason tournaments.
This season on Oct. 13, the senior capped his prep career with his biggest accomplishment yet, a runner-up finish in the Virginia High School League’s 18-hole Class 6 state tournament.
Spence shot a 4-under 69 on the wet par-73 Bristow Manor Golf Club course in Prince William County to finish second by one shot. His round included six birdies and one eagle.
Spence started well with a birdie on the first hole. A few holes later, he birdied the fifth and sixth holes and eagled the seventh. Spence had seven one-putt greens on the front nine. His 9-hole scores were 34-35.
The downside to his round was four bogeys as a result of balls he hit into hazards.
“I putted well and played well. I made a ton of putts,” Spence told ARLnow. “I was thinking a 5-under score was going to win this, and it did. That was what I was trying for. I’ve been playing pretty good golf of late.”
Spence aspired to be the second straight Washington-Liberty golfer to win the Class 6 state tournament. Finn Watson won the title last year as a senior on the same course, and is now playing at James Madison University.
Spence was the only player from an Arlington school to play in this season’s state tournament.
The notable low-scoring postseason result was the last of multiple high finishes for Spence during his last three seasons playing for the Generals.
Just two weeks earlier on the same course at the 18-hole 6D North Region tournament, Spence shot 73 to qualify for the state and place fourth. Prior to that, his round of 72 tied him for second at the Liberty District tournament.
In 2025, Spence won what was then a 36-hole district tourney with rounds of 69 and 70. Next, he tied for third with a 73-75-148 finish at the region, then shot 76 to tie for 14th at the state. As a sophomore, Spence finished third in the district (74-73-147), tied for sixth in the region (70-81-151) and shot 79 in the state to tie for 14th.
Over those last three seasons, his postseason rounds included two in the 60s, 10 in the 70s and the one in the 80s. Individually, Spence won one of those tournaments with two seconds and three thirds.
In addition, he helped Washington-Liberty win district and region team titles as a junior and he played in the state tournament his last three high-school seasons. He also helped the Generals win the 2024 district crown, then place second in the region that year and fifth in the state.
Prior to his improvement, the Generals didn’t enjoy as much postseason team success, placing fifth in the district his freshman season and not advancing to the region.
“I tried hard as a freshman, but I just wasn’t good enough,” said Spence, who shot in the high 80s in two rounds of the district tournament that year. “Then I got better with a lot of lessons and working hard on my game.”
Spence plans to play at the collegiate level, likely at Division I Stonehill College near Boston. The school is starting a men’s golf team for the 2027-28 season, which has Spence looking forward to those opportunities.
“I’m really excited about the offseason now and what’s ahead now,” Spence said.
In addition to high-school golf, Spence recently earned the third seed in the match-play portion of the club championship at Army Navy Country Club of Fairfax.
