MOULTRIE — When the Colquitt County High golf team tees off Monday morning in the Region 1-AAAAA golf tournament, its players should have plenty of reason to be comfortable and confident.

For one thing, the tournament is being held at Sunset Country Club, the Packers home course, for the first time since 2000.

And when the Packers hosted that year, they won the region and had the tournament’s low medalist in David Matthews.

And the Packers should remember the 294 they shot on the Sunset Course on April 1 in the Knuck McCrary Packer Invitational.

“We have a big advantage playing at home,” said Packers coach Donald Dale.

But perhaps more important, three of the Packers are region and state tournament veterans.

The exception is freshman Clarke Hendrick, who has played No. 1 much of the season and will be getting his first taste at trying to help his team qualify for state tournament in Jekyll Island.

Hendrick has a stroke average of 75.25 in tournament play this season and has a low score of 71 in the Indian Invitational in Vidalia.

But junior Aaron Elrod will be making his third region tournament start and has played in the state tournament the last two years.

As a freshman in 2004, Elrod shot a 79 to help the Packers win the region title at Valdosta Country Club.

He also shot a 79 in the region tournament at Douglas Country Club last year and is having a solid junior year.

Elrod’s best score was an even-par 72 shot at the Knuck McCrary Packer Invitational.

Seniors Josh Dale and Matt Smith have even more experience and will be making their fourth, and final, region tournament appearances.

Smith has had an excellent year and is tied with Elrod for the team’s best tournament stroke average, a 74.5.

That average includes the team’s best score this season, a 69 shot at the Trojan Invitational at Grand Island Golf Club in Albany on March 27.

And Smith has been consistent in his three previous region tournaments, shooting a 78 as a freshman at Spring Hill Country Club in Tifton; a 79 as a sophomore at Valdosta Country Club; and a 77 last year at Douglas Country Club.

Josh Dale, son of the Packers coach, shot his best region tournament round last year in Douglas, a 79 to help the Packers finish second. His tournament stroke average this year is 77.6.

The Packers top four of Smith, Dale, Elrod and Hendrick have helped lead the Packers to a season in which the team has won four tournaments, finished second twice and averaged just over 301 in tournament play.

“If we shoot our season average (on Monday), we should be OK,” Donald Dale said.

And the play of the top four players figures to make the Packers one of the tournament favorites.

“Those four have played in a lot of tournament, a lot of junior tournaments too,” Donald Dale said. “And that experience has helped us this year.

“They’re competitive, but they are more relaxed now.”

The Packers also will send out Dusty Campbell and Ian Hester to round out their top six.

Tift County, with Darton College-bound Chesley Gunn playing No. 1, also should be in the hunt for the region tournament title.

The grueling 36-hole state tournament will be held on May 8 on the Pine Lake Gold Course at Jekyll Island.

Donald Dale would like nothing better than to sweep both the girls and boys region championships on Monday.

And with Anna Leigh Keith and Lindsay Hargrove, the Lady Packers are one of the tournament favorites.

Keith, just a freshman, could be the best girl golfer in the region this year.

And Hargrove, who already has signed to play at Thomas University next season, is playing well.

“The girls are in good shape,” said Donald Dale, who also has Jill Flowers and Shannon Giddens on his girls team.

The top two girls teams will advance to the state tournament, also on May 8, at the Indian Mounds Golf Course at Jekyll Island.