Ten-year-old Hudson Feuerbacher got his first taste of golf at three years old. Seven years later, he’s hooked!
“I love everything about golf,” said Hudson, a 4th grader at Greenwood Lab School. “It’s just really fun.”
Hudson remembers playing an early morning round at Hickory Hills with his dad, uncle and cousin at five years old. And while it wasn’t his best round…
“I think I did horrible, but I had a really good time.”
It was the experience that led to Hudson’s favorite thing to do, and it turns out he’s pretty good. Last year, playing in the Southwest Junior Golf Association, Hudson won nine of 11 events, finishing 2nd in the other two with a 78.7 scoring average. His drives average 175 feet. He’s nearly hit a hole-in-one and owns a one-under back nine at Highland Springs.
Despite his clear talent for the game, the Feuerbacher’s are keeping things in perspective.
“Right now it’s have fun,” said Hudson’s father Brad, who played high school golf at Glendale. “Ten years old that’s the number one goal, and even Tiger (Woods) said enjoy every moment you’re playing. Everything gets competitive fast enough. The idea is to be outside and enjoy the game of golf.”
The Bass Pro Legends of Golf is a big reason for Hudson’s love of golf.
“We would come down and being that close and seeing that level of golf and being able to interact was great,” said Brad. “One time he sat outside with Krispy Kremes and as every pro made the turn in exchange for a Krispy Kreme he got an autograph. I think those experiences year after year and being in the outdoors really made him enjoy the game of golf.”
His favorite PGA pro is Dustin Johnson, but another former golf phenom, Tiger Woods, is growing on that list after Hudson beat the 14-time major champion in an exhibition challenge last spring.
“I was really excited, but also really nervous at the same time. But I kind of felt better when he hit it in the water.”
Hudson was one of the thousands in attendance at Tiger’s free kid’s clinic Tuesday at Buffalo Ridge. He was impressed with the way Tiger could call his shot, but the big takeaway was about enjoying the game, no matter where his golf career goes from here.
“I’d like to play better every day, but I don’t really know if I’m going to do this when I’m older. If I had a chance I’d probably take that chance.
“I just really love golf.”
