March 31, 2017 at 4:54 p.m.
Northwoods boy heads to Augusta for Drive, Chip and Putt
Northwoods boy heads to Augusta for Drive, Chip and Putt
By By Ben Gauger-
Nomm qualified for the championship of the Drive, Chip and Putt competition last September in Minnesota.
"I love sports, golf has always been my favorite, since I was born doing it," Kaeden said. "I've just always loved it."
It was an easy choice for Kaeden to get into golf.
"I was born right next to the golf course. My dad (Peter), he was a pro there for 13 years, so I was able to do it there," he said.
"I was a pro at the country club from 2001-2013, so he grew up on the golf course," Peter Nomm explained. "There are certain opportunities you get with that, that's for sure."
Kaeden began playing golf as early as possible, with his parents saying they used to attach his car seat to the golf carts.
"He was easily out there by age 2 or earlier," Peter said. "He used to take an old putter and just beat it down the fairway."
In addition to golf, Kaeden enjoys many sports during his free time, but golf is typically on top of his list.
"Golf has always been one of my favorite sports, even it isn't at this specific time because I always like other sports," he said. "I like football, hockey, all kinds of other stuff. But it's always been near the top, if not on top."
The Nomms first heard about the national Drive, Chip and Putt contest after it was televised.
"It started three years ago and my dad tried to sign me up and I was the only one to make it," Kaeden said.
"We saw it on TV," Peter explained. "Drive, Chip and Putt has been in existence a long time, but once the Masters got involved, all of the sudden it got prominent and televised. And when they started doing that, the number of kids participating skyrocketed."
Peter compared it to another youth event that is popular in the country.
"It would sort of be like the NFL getting involved in Pass, Punt and Kick and kids would compete at the Super Bowl or something. So we saw it on TV the first year it happened," he said. "We signed all the guys up for it. When the kids watch the other kids in these things, it's pretty enticing for them."
September qualifying
Kaeden competed in qualifying events in September, taking part in three stages.
"(The) first stage, it's not that hard to go on, but the second stage, you have to work against a lot better players," he said. "And I think the third stage is just getting lucky, because I didn't even do that good, but I just got lucky to be able to get there."
The first stage was held at Sentry World Golf Course in Stevens Point, where three kids advanced out of 15. Following the second stage, at University Ridge in Madison, only two kids advanced out of 12.
"Then the last one had 10 kids and I was the only one to go on and that was at Hazeltine (near) Minneapolis (in Chaska, Minn.), where the Ryder Cup was at," Kaeden said. "That was really fun to play there, to see what the Ryder Cup would be like since it was not too long after that."
Each stage begins with the driving portion of the event, where each player gets three balls and must hit them in a grid, about 50 yards wide, to be scored based on distance.
"So, Kaeden got all three in the first time for like 17, 18, 17. That's a lot of points which was good," Peter said.
The chipping portion followed a similar construction, with three balls and one, 3- and 6-foor circles around the whole. Putts were from 6, 15 and 30 feet.
"He did real well on the driving, obviously, hitting all three of them," Peter said. "He did well on the putting the first time. And the second time, his chipping was what was good, and the driving, because I think he only missed one at all three stages."
Peter said the final round of qualifying at Hazeltine was much more difficult.
"There were some goods kids. I mean, it's 12-13 division. He's still 12, so there were some bigger, older kids. We were watching them warm up and they were big golfers, but one kid who we knew, he missed the grid once, who was his competition both at the first and second stages," Peter said. "And then another kid who looked like a good player missed two of the three. That gave Kaeden a little cushion. Hitting the grid looks easy, but when you're doing it, not so much. I think that was a big break for him and then making that 30-foot putt."
Making that 30-footer is what eventually punched Kaeden's ticket to Augusta.
"We were watching the kids all day long and if the kids missed the whole - the Ryder Cup was coming up in two weeks so the greens were great, they were fast and they had a downhill putt - all the kids were missing that 30-footer," Peter said.
"They were going out of the grid because it was so fast. We were watching it from a distance and we were like 'that thing's going,' and sure enough, it disappeared."
"There were two hills on either side and I had to hope that it would go off the hills correctly," Kaeden said of his putt.
Kaeden said watching other golfers his age was a great part of the experience.
"It's actually really cool, because just around here, there aren't that many great golfers and you're able to see kids my age hitting it 20 yards farther, 30 yards farther than me and that's really cool," he said.
Nationals
One of the benefits to the event is that it will be held at Augusta National, where the Masters is played every year.
"It's going to be really, really awesome," Kaeden said. "(You) get to see really great, not only kids, but other players who have won the Masters or played in it."
It will be Kaeden's first trip to Augusta and he said he is looking forward to meeting many of the professionals, who begin arriving on the grounds the weekend before golf's first major of the year.
"I'm looking forward to meeting a lot of the golf pros, because there are some that come watch the Drive, Chip and Putt and kids can meet them," he said, adding that Matt Kuchar tops the list of pro golfers he wants to meet.
As for how the whole experience will help his golf game, Kaeden said it will drive him to improve.
"I think it'll make me try and do better next year, try and get there again," he said. "I'm sure it's going to be really cool. So if I can do it again, that'd be awesome."
Kaeden will have three more years of eligibility and he's already registered for next year's event.
But while the weather might harm other sports during this time, Kaeden said he is still able to do much of his practice inside.
"I can actually do a lot of stuff in our basement because the carpet has a hole in it, so I can putt and chip," he said. "And, if I want to, I can always swing a bit, back and forth."
During the summer, Kaeden spends many days on the course and competes in a number of tournaments around the state, his father said.
"Wisconsin PGA puts on events all around the state. They'll typically do two days in a row in different regions," Peter said. "They'll do an Eagle River tournament, then Timber Ridge (in Minocqua). They'll do Northwood (Golf Course in Rhinelander). They'll even do some over in Hayward. He probably plays a dozen to 15 events in the summer."
Despite being from a small town like Minocqua, Kaeden doesn't view it as a disadvantage.
"I can still go out and practice and that may even help because there aren't as many people there," he said. "You can always go play, almost."
"It proves it doesn't matter where you're from," Peter added. "You can do anything. It's exciting. I think he was the third player to go when we did it Minneapolis out of the 10 kids (that qualified). I was excited when he hit all three drives, and chipping he had three poor chips and I'm thinking it's over. Then he made the 6-footer and had a good 15-footer, and then when buried that 30-footer, my butterflies started going 'he's back in the game right here.' It was surreal, almost one of those 'is this for real' moments."
No matter how Kaeden performs Sunday at Augusta, Peter said that it'll be a victory no matter what.
"It's just like, honestly, you've already won. It's just icing on the cake whatever happens. You get to go there, that's what all these kids are dreaming about," he explained. "Now that it happens, there's no bad outcome from this. Which is good, no pressure. Just do well."
Ben Gauger may be reached via email at [email protected].
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