NAOTB: Jake Maggert
Athletics Communications
The Texas A&M men’s golf team added three freshmen who figure to play a huge role in the 2023-24 campaign.
12thMan.com had an opportunity catch up with one of the three. Jake Maggert talks about his collegiate debut at Erin Hills, what he’s working on in his game and more.
How was your experience playing your first collegiate tournament at Erin Hills?
“It was really cool. It was definitely tough. I think it was a learning experience, not just for me, but for the whole team. I think as a freshman it’s always cool getting to start at the first possible opportunity. I didn’t really have any expectations going in. I knew it was going to be tough and I wanted to see how my game competed. It was a good learning experience.”
Aaron Pounds and Jack Usner have been your teammates for quite a while. How much has that helped having them here with you making the adjustment to college?
“It has definitely helped a lot. I feel like at times nothing’s really changed just because we’ve always been around each other 24-7 growing up, whether it’s practicing or going to school together. It just feels like the next chapter for us and we’re all kind of on this journey together. It’s been really good.”
What brought all three of you here? Was there someone driving that effort?
“Aaron and I have grown up Aggies. My dad played golf at A&M and Aaron’s two sisters played soccer here. So growing up Aaron and I, ever since we’ve known each other, have always wanted to go to A&M to play golf. Then, meeting Jack throughout junior high and him eventually going to school with us in ninth grade, we kind of brainwashed him a little bit. It’s been cool to be on this journey together.”
What would you say the strength of your game is?
“I’d say that most of the time I’m pretty confident with my ball-striking abilities. I never really feel like I have weeks where I’m just totally astray from what I’m normally capable of doing.”
What have the coaches worked on mostly with you early in your collegiate career?
“I think both Coach Kortan and Coach Fast have put a lot of emphasis on short game. I think throughout recruiting they really kept in touch and helped me out a lot within the last year. I feel like even though we’re freshmen, they still know our games pretty well and I feel like it’s been a continuance of what they’ve’ been teaching us and helping us with.”
It’s a small sample size for you, but what do you see is the difference between collegiate golf and high school/junior golf?
“It’s definitely the talent level. Tuning up for my first college event, I could definitely tell, even though the field wasn’t as strong as some of the ones we’ll face down the road, the talent level was going to be infinitely higher than what I played against in high school events.”
What’s your favorite golf course?
“I would say either Bethpage of Harbor Town. I grew up spending a lot of time in South Carolina, so Harbor Town has always been one of my favorites. I played Bethpage this summer and really enjoyed that one.”
Your dad is still pretty active in professional golf. Do you get to see him play much now? And how much did you get to watch him play in person growing up?
“Growing up I got to watch him a ton. As you continue to get older and get into higher grade levels, it’s just harder to go and travel with him and spend a lot of time on the road. But I’ve caddied for him a couple of times. I caddied for him in May. That’s kind of something that I’ve been doing the past five or six years. At least one tournament a year is going out and caddying for him just because I haven’t been able to spend that much time on the road with him between my golf schedule and school and everything.”
What’s your favorite Aggie tradition?
“I don’t know. There’s a lot of them. I think it’s always cool, especially in Kyle Field, when we’re doing the war hymn and sawing them off. I just think seeing that whole stadium and how loud it gets is really cool. It gives you goose bumps.”
What’s the best golf advice your dad has given you?
“I think it’s just ‘stay patient and always learn.’ I mean, every situation, whether it’s a good outcome or bad outcome is always something you can learn from. If you’re not learning, then what are you doing?”
Do you have a special Sharpie marking you put on your ball?
“I do. Growing up my dad has put a green dot on each side of the number. Growing up, when I was 6, 7, 8-years old, I would want to do the same thing. But when we’d play together we get our ball confused because we’d have the same marking. So I changed it to a blue marking.”
