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May 27—JAMESTOWN — Hunter Gegelman's golf career really started out as a hobby.
"I started playing golf off and on around the age of eight but never really took it too seriously," said Hunter, a Jamestown High School senior. "I used to play baseball but with a couple knee surgeries that ended quickly. ... My dad is a pretty good golfer and I always thought it looked fun so he encouraged me to play since I couldn't play baseball anymore.
"I figured it is kinda an old man sport so might as well get good when I'm young so I can beat my friends as I age," he said. "My first memory of playing golf is going out with my dad and him letting me drive the cart around once we got away from the clubhouse even though I wasn't supposed to."
Hunter has been golfing with the Blue Jays since his seventh grade year and has been on the varsity roster since he was an eighth grader. He is one of 10 seniors competing for the Blue Jays this spring and a natural pick for the varsity lineups. Hunter's career best score was a 67 shot at the Jamestown Country Club.
"I attribute my success to my dad and our old golf coach Shawn Taft," Gegelman said. "They always help me stay positive even on the bad days. An old teammate, Easton Romsdal, has also helped keep the team spirits high as he is now assistant coach."
His younger brother, Griffin, also serves as a motivating factor.
"Me and Griffin have been playing golf together for as long as I can remember," Hunter said. "We get very, very competitive throughout the year and I even bet him $50 dollars if he beat me this year."
Hunter is now out $50 bucks.
Griffin beat his older brother at the Minot High Invite on May 2. His score of 79 qualified him to compete at the 2025 State Meet scheduled to be held June 3-4.
"If we both went head to head I would win 99% of the time just from experience and a little more skill and better mental game but there is no doubt in my mind that he will eventually be better than me just because his swing is so good and he is naturally good at everything," Hunter said. "I will miss playing with him because of the competition between us and making random bets like who buys the snacks in the pro-shop at the turn.
"He makes me a better golfer by getting in my head when we are playing for fun because it really helps me concentrate on hitting the next shot instead of reminiscing on the last shot, he said.
With the help of his younger brother, dad, coaches and teammates, Hunter managed to qualify for his third-straight state tournament last week. The senior shot a season best score of 74 at the Mandan Invitational on May 13.
State will be the final competitive golf outing for Hunter.
"One thing I would miss about playing with my brother is how he gives me drive to be better," Griffin said. "Also, the challenge of beating him is a big motivation to me."
Griffin is one of 10 freshmen competing for the Blue Jays this season.
"I started playing golf around 10 years old and I started playing golf because it seemed fun and you can do it for most of your life," Griffin said. "My first memory of playing competitive golf with Hunter was when I first beat him in a golf event."
This spring marks Griffin's second season on the varsity roster. His season best score stands at a 78.
"One attribute for my success this year was putting a lot of time in and working really hard on the practice range, and chipping and putting green," Griffin said.
The Blue Jays have completed their regular season schedule and will be moving on to the West Region Meet this week. The WDA meet scheduled to be held May 28 at Minot's Souris Valley Golf Course. If the team finishes within the top-six, the team will qualify for State.
"Our team has a very good chance of qualifying for State," Hunter said. "As long as we all play the game smart and play our game well, we will be perfectly fine."
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"I started playing golf off and on around the age of eight but never really took it too seriously," said Hunter, a Jamestown High School senior. "I used to play baseball but with a couple knee surgeries that ended quickly. ... My dad is a pretty good golfer and I always thought it looked fun so he encouraged me to play since I couldn't play baseball anymore.
"I figured it is kinda an old man sport so might as well get good when I'm young so I can beat my friends as I age," he said. "My first memory of playing golf is going out with my dad and him letting me drive the cart around once we got away from the clubhouse even though I wasn't supposed to."
Hunter has been golfing with the Blue Jays since his seventh grade year and has been on the varsity roster since he was an eighth grader. He is one of 10 seniors competing for the Blue Jays this spring and a natural pick for the varsity lineups. Hunter's career best score was a 67 shot at the Jamestown Country Club.
"I attribute my success to my dad and our old golf coach Shawn Taft," Gegelman said. "They always help me stay positive even on the bad days. An old teammate, Easton Romsdal, has also helped keep the team spirits high as he is now assistant coach."
His younger brother, Griffin, also serves as a motivating factor.
"Me and Griffin have been playing golf together for as long as I can remember," Hunter said. "We get very, very competitive throughout the year and I even bet him $50 dollars if he beat me this year."
Hunter is now out $50 bucks.
Griffin beat his older brother at the Minot High Invite on May 2. His score of 79 qualified him to compete at the 2025 State Meet scheduled to be held June 3-4.
"If we both went head to head I would win 99% of the time just from experience and a little more skill and better mental game but there is no doubt in my mind that he will eventually be better than me just because his swing is so good and he is naturally good at everything," Hunter said. "I will miss playing with him because of the competition between us and making random bets like who buys the snacks in the pro-shop at the turn.
"He makes me a better golfer by getting in my head when we are playing for fun because it really helps me concentrate on hitting the next shot instead of reminiscing on the last shot, he said.
With the help of his younger brother, dad, coaches and teammates, Hunter managed to qualify for his third-straight state tournament last week. The senior shot a season best score of 74 at the Mandan Invitational on May 13.
State will be the final competitive golf outing for Hunter.
"One thing I would miss about playing with my brother is how he gives me drive to be better," Griffin said. "Also, the challenge of beating him is a big motivation to me."
Griffin is one of 10 freshmen competing for the Blue Jays this season.
"I started playing golf around 10 years old and I started playing golf because it seemed fun and you can do it for most of your life," Griffin said. "My first memory of playing competitive golf with Hunter was when I first beat him in a golf event."
This spring marks Griffin's second season on the varsity roster. His season best score stands at a 78.
"One attribute for my success this year was putting a lot of time in and working really hard on the practice range, and chipping and putting green," Griffin said.
The Blue Jays have completed their regular season schedule and will be moving on to the West Region Meet this week. The WDA meet scheduled to be held May 28 at Minot's Souris Valley Golf Course. If the team finishes within the top-six, the team will qualify for State.
"Our team has a very good chance of qualifying for State," Hunter said. "As long as we all play the game smart and play our game well, we will be perfectly fine."
Continue reading...
