Sajen Hodge |
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DRIVE , CHIP AND PUTT ( 2 ) |
Do you have a coach ? Who is it ? Mark Marshall at Lake Monticello Golf Course What does making the national finals mean to you ? Reaching the highest level of the DCP competition is an honor , and competing against the best golfers is a fun challenge . What has been your most exciting highlight so far ? Earning one of the 80 spots for the national Drive , Chip and Putt finals and getting to go to Augusta National must be one of the coolest accomplishments . |
SAJEN HODGE ( Boys 10-11 ) Affiliation / home course : VSGA JGC , The Dominion Club . Age / hometown : 11 / Glen Allen . School / grade / favorite subject : Short Pump Middle School / 6th grade / Art . Favorite skill : Putting . Winning total : 168 points ( most by any competitor at Aronimink qualifier ). Who started you in golf ? At what age ? I started playing when I was 1 1 / 2 years old . My Grandma gave me plastic clubs . Later that year , my dad took me to the driving range … I was hooked ! What attracted you to golf ? I like competing because it ’ s fun , exciting and I like to be creative with different types of shots . I have met many friends from Virginia and various parts of the world while playing golf . How often do you practice your skills ? Normally , I practice once a week . I play a round with my dad every week . What was your mindset for each skill ? For putting , I tried to stop it near the hole , because you get the same number of points even if you are short of the hole . The chip at Aronimink was downhill , so I did a stock shot with a sand wedge . Driving was last at Aronimink , and I knew my score was high |
enough to possibly win if I kept two drives in bounds . After my first two drives landed on the grid , I tried to bomb the last one . In the end , I needed all three to secure the win . What golf ball do you use , and do you mark it a special way for the chipping and putting competition ? I use a TaylorMade TP5 Stripe . I didn ’ t mark the balls for Drive , Chip and Putt . Who is your favorite golfer ? Tiger . When I was a toddler , I watched Tiger Woods ’ best shots on You- Tube every night before bed . Do you have a coach ? Who is it ? Ed Gill , Lynn Myers and Gavin Parker . What does making the national finals mean to you ? I simply can ’ t believe I made it . I ’ m really proud ; it ’ s so cool ! What has been your most exciting highlight so far ? Chipping in at Aronimink !
MASON PALMER ( Boys 14-15 ) Affiliation / home course : VSGA JGC / Hidden Valley Country Club . Age / hometown : 15 / Roanoke . School / grade / favorite subject : Hidden Valley High School / 9th grade / Math . Favorite skill : Putting . Winning total : 149 points . Who started you in golf ? At what age ? My dad introduced me to golf at 5 years old What attracted you to golf ? It was a way to spend time with my dad .
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How often do you practice your skills ? Weekly . What was your mindset for each skill ? For driving , I was making sure I kept all three drives in play . For chipping , I was trying to get them all in a 4-foot radius . And for putting , I read the putts from angles and tried to execute it to the best of my ability . What golf ball do you use , and do you mark it a special way for the chipping and putting competition ? I use a Taylor- Made TP5 ball . I like to mark my ball with a red or black cross . Do you practice for the driving competition using the ball provided by the site ? At the competition site , I grab the allowed bucket of balls and hit the driving range during the warm-up . For everyday practice driving , I use range balls at HVCC . Who are your favorite golfers ? Scottie Scheffler and Lanto Griffin . Do you have a coach ? Who is it ? Bill Rader at the First Tee here in Roanoke , and I also see Steve Prater in Blacksburg . What does making the national finals mean to you ? It is a huge accomplishment to make the national finals . I get to go to a place that is legendary and compete on a national stage . It does not get much better than this opportunity . Talk about bucket lists ! This is my last chance to compete in the DCP because of my age . I am very thankful to be in this position and want to represent the First Tee of Roanoke Valley program well . What has been your most exciting highlight so far ? Sinking my putts on the course in Philly with the opportunity of going to Augusta on the line .
Mason Palmer
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