Catching Up With Jack Barnes '23

4/29/2024

In his first college golf tournament, Jack Barnes shot a 67, followed it the next day with a 74 for a 36-hole total of 141, good for second place in the Kinder-Williams Invitational in Harrisonburg.

Three birdies and 11 pars on the heels of two eagles, three birdies, and 11 pars speak loudly, and for his efforts the weekend of Sept. 11-12, the 2023 Collegiate graduate and Hampden-Sydney College freshman earned Old Dominion Athletic Conference golfer of the week honors.

So much for a learning curve.

Golf, though, is a fickle game. What might seem easy one day can seem torturous the next.

For Barnes, though, a major player in the Cougars’ two Prep League (2021, 2023) and VISAA (2021, 2022) during his three varsity seasons, his time in Prince Edward County has included more memorable moments than maddening ones.

The memorable ones he’s taken in stride. He doesn’t rest on laurels and is always looking to improve, you see. The maddening ones he’s navigated through industriousness and dedication to his craft, even to the point of earning his second ODAC golfer-of-the-week citation for his 6-over 75-72-75 — 222 (tied for 8th out of 90 competitors) at the Cochran Collegiate Invite hosted by Rhodes College in Memphis the weekend of April 15-16.

Heading into the ODAC tournament, Barnes is ranked 90th nationally and 46th regionally among NCAA Division III golfers. His 74.2 strokes/round average is second on the team behind junior Nick Rubino, who as a freshman finished second in the 2022 NCAA Division III tournament.

Just before the Tigers headed to Williamsburg to compete over three days and 54 holes at the Golden Horseshoe Golf Club, Barnes, All-VISAA in 2021 and 2022 and All-Prep in 2023, spoke of his journey.

Your college golf season includes the fall and spring. How have you balanced the academic and athletic expectations?

In the fall, [the preparation] at Collegiate really showed. I was able to prioritize a lot of things. This semester, I’m taking harder classes, but I’m doing well and producing good grades. Especially with the spring season, traveling for golf is different than it is in high school because you’re missing days at a time so you have to be more disciplined.

How often do you play golf?

Pretty much every day. We have practice after classes, usually from 2:30 until you want to leave. We’re all there Monday through Friday. If we travel, it’s different. We’ll play Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, come back late Tuesday night, and get Wednesday off. Then, we’re back out there [at the Manor Golf Club in Farmville] Thursday and Friday. It’s kind of hectic.

For a golfer, wall-to-wall golf must be heaven, though.

Kind of. You can get burned out sometimes if you’re not playing well or your mind’s on other things. You might not want to practice some days, but you can get around having to hit balls all day. You can play [for example] chipping games with buddies on the team. It’s nice being able to practice with a bunch of other guys.

How do you manage the ups and downs that are inherent in golf?

By being persistent. Keeping your head down and really working toward a goal. I’ve gotten a lot better at that in the last few weeks. I think that shows in my results. I didn’t play well [in the Savannah Invitational] in early March. Ever since, I’ve played better. If you can get in the right mindset, there’s no reason you can’t win and win something big, so I’ve been really working toward getting in the right mindset. I finally feel like I’d gotten there (as top-10 finishes in two of the Tigers’ last competitions attest).

What parts of your game are you working most to improve?

In Savannah, my putting led me to not being in a good head space. I wasn’t making a lot of putts that I feel like I should have been making. Ever since switching putters, I’ve been putting really well. Because of that, my mental game’s a lot better.

Is golf more physical than mental?

That depends on the person. For me, a lot of it is more mental. My swing’s normally pretty good. It’s in a good spot. My chipping and short game are pretty decent. My putting is decent as well. A lot of it is, if I can see a putt go in, mentally that’s a really big boost for me. Not seeing it go in, it’s harder mentally.

The team culture at Collegiate is a strength of the golf program. What have you found at Hampden-Sydney?

It’s very similar. The guys that travel have a good relationship. We’re all really close. It helps a lot because there’re some events where we’re paired together. If someone has a bad hole, things can really go sideways quickly for the team because it affects everybody, but if you can keep a good mentality about it, overall, it makes things a lot easier.

How have you improved since you left Collegiate?

My ball striking has gotten significantly better. It was already something I lived and died on, but I focus on that a lot, and it’s gotten a lot more consistent day-to-day. I feel like if I can ball strike it around the course, my short game will cover up my mistakes. I think I’ve shown that recently. Then, also, I’m finally in a good head space where I feel confident saying, “Yeah, I can win here.” That’s important to your game. I’ve really focused on getting there.

What’s the most enjoyable part of golf?

Just playing with my buddies. That’s a lot of fun.

~Weldon Bradshaw

Back