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PRO

High heat, drop kicks, random observations and points that amuse are all part of the wide, wide world of sports at the community and national levels.

I’m developing a sports-related bucket list. And I have an out-of-town golfer, one of Excelsior Springs’ most famous natives and a few area golf courses to thank for some of the items on it.

The out-of-towner is Thomas Murphy, a Richmond High School senior. I’ve gotten to know him through covering Richmond varsity boys basketball for the Richmond News, The Excelsior Springs Standard’s sister paper. I particularly got to know him this season, when he was a beast of a rebounder, as senior teammate Jack Gogue suggested during a mid-January interview. He also plays golf, as I was reminded while working on the Richmond News’ spring sports preview, slated to run March 31. On a suggestion from coach Murray Dennis, I made a March 10 visit to Shirkey Golf Course in Richmond for interviews and pictures for my Richmond boys golf story. For a few …