BV : My biggest influence is definitely Kevin Patterson , my golf pro . He has taught me everything I know and got me from complete beginner to scratch in three years . I also owe a lot of my success to Simon McBride , the Griffin brothers , and all of my friends in the ASGA for setting the bar high and pushing me to be the player I am today .
NEA Sports : Where do you play and practice ? BV : I play , practice , and work at Paragould Country Club . I play six to seven days a week and workout four to five days . I spend 75 % of my time playing . If I ’ m practicing , I practice about half short game and putting and half swing .
NEA Sports : What are some of your favorite courses you ’ ve played ? BV : My all-time favorite course I have ever played is Hardscrabble Country Club in Fort Smith . Following that , it ’ s probably Texarkana Country Club . A few others are Pleasant Valley Country Club in Little Rock , Shadow Valley Country Club in Rogers , and Paradise Valley in Fayetteville .
NEA Sports : What are your strengths on the course that have led to your success ? BV : My biggest strength on the course is easily the head on my shoulders . I hardly get nervous , and I adapt to any situation with ease . It also helps that my golf instructor taught me great course management-to not be afraid to go for it or too prideful to lay up . I value accuracy and consistency over anything else , and my best philosophy for anybody is that you can never go wrong with par .
NEA Sports : What are your favorite memories from your high school golf career ? BV : My favorite memories are definitely the car rides to matches with Coach Ward and Coach Halbrook . It is nice hitting great shots and winning tournaments but nothing will beat all that time in the school vehicle .
NEA Sports : What are your plans and goals ? BV : My plans are to go play college golf ( still undecided as to where ) then get my PGA Card . I ’ m not sure where I want to settle down and start a career , but I know I want to be on a golf course . Even if it ’ s unlikely , I have a dream to create a golf course with 36 holes that have a variety of layouts , obstacles , and hazards along with many practice facilities , simulators , and instructors . This course would be specifically for junior and college golfers wanting to dedicate their life to the game , such as I have .
NEA Sports : What are some interests you have off the course ? BV : I love music and plays . I listen to a variety of music and have seen many shows at the Orpheum and other theaters . I ’ m also Co-Champ ( 2021 ) and Runner-up ( 2022 ) in the NEA Chess Championships . I have a provisional patent on an invention I want to manufacture and sell as a side hustle when I ’ m a world-famous golf professional .
Coach ’ s Take :
Blake Ward ( previous coach ): “ Brooks is an amazing young man . Very intelligent and driven . He ’ s the type of young man people can trust . Over the past few years the dedication he ’ s put into learning about golf , playing golf , excelling in the classroom , excelling in FBLA , has been fun to watch . I think with all of his accomplishments he is the greatest Marmaduke athlete in school history , and I mean that wholeheartedly .”
Chase Halbrook ( current coach ): “ His growth as a player from his freshman year to his senior year is truly amazing . How easily he progressed as a player goes to show how naturally gifted he is as a golfer as well as how hard he worked at his craft . Coaching him was a privilege . He always played with confidence and expected to win but handled any rough moments on the course with a maturity that you don ’ t always see from high school golfers . I expect his progression as a golfer to continue because I know his work ethic is unmatched by many . Whatever college ends up signing him is getting a steal and I ’ m excited for where the sport is going to take him in life .”