A Puyallup man who assaulted a fellow golfer with a 6-iron last summer was sentenced this morning to 21 months in prison.

Nicholas Shampine, 34, was found guilty of second-degree assault during a jury trial in May. King County Superior Court Judge Deborah Fleck sentenced Shampine, who has no prior criminal convictions, to a high-end sentence at the Maleng Regional Justice Center this morning.

Shampine attacked James Compton at the Auburn Golf Course last July 13 after Compton's golf party complained to the greens marshal that Shampine's party was taking too long at each hole, according to court charging paperwork. Members of Shampine's group were also upset at Compton's group for being too noisy, authorities said.

A shoving match broke out and Shampine struck Compton in the left temple with the golf club, prosecutors said. Compton fell to the turf in convulsions, bleeding heavily and was taken to Harborview Medical Center.

Shampine told Auburn police that he attacked Compton, 46, to protect his brother, who was golfing with him.

King County Senior Deputy Prosecutor Dan Soukup said that Compton still suffers memory loss and confusion. Compton and his wife spoke at the sentencing today and asked Fleck to give Shampine the maximum sentence.

"It was completely terrible what happened and Mr. Compton is probably never going to fully recover," Soukup said today.