2021 Drive, Chip and Putt Championship
Brayden Dock
Queensbury
,
NY
Age: 12 - 13
Gender: Boys
Region: Northeast
The Path to the National Finals
Qualifying Path
Should a player advance through local qualifying, the subregional and regional qualifying sites are pre-determined based upon the local qualifying site. The player is not guaranteed participation in the subregional qualifier unless he/she advances through local qualifying. The player is not guaranteed participation in the regional qualifier unless he/she advances through local and subregional qualifying.
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Sub-Regional QualifierEvent CompletedVerona, NY 13478Aug 14, 2019
Home Course and Location:
Highland Park Country Club – Queensbury, NY
Play Golf Right or Left Handed:
Right-handed
Age Started Playing Golf:
Started about age 3
Lowest Score Shot (9 and/or 18 holes):
9 holes: 5 under / 18 holes: 9 under
Handicap Index:
6.9
How did you become interested in golf?
My dad loves golf and he put a plastic club in my hand as soon as I could hold one. I started by hitting golf balls in and around the outside of my house. Eventually I had to move to foam balls as I started to hit the ball far enough to potentially break windows and do other damage.
Who introduced you to golf?
My dad. When I was less than a year old he would push me around the golf course in a jogging stroller as I slept. Eventually he would bring me out to ride around on the golf cart, so I ended up spending a lot of time on the golf course which made me interested in the game.
Who do you normally play golf with?
My dad and anyone else that has an opening in their group when I am at the course. I play in a lot of tournaments and with kids on my Junior League.
Who is your golf teacher?
Scott Berliner. He has been my golf instructor since about age 6. I did an intro to golf with him and really enjoyed it. I started working with him on a regular basis about age 7 or 8. He has helped me ever since.
I also work with Anders Mattson and Bob Cain for my Junior League through Anders Mattson in Saratoga. My high school golf coach is Steve Zurlo.
What do you like most about playing golf?
It feels really good when you hit a great shot. Golf is also different every time you play it, which makes it fun and challenging. Golf also allows you to be creative when you have to figure out how to play different shots and attempt to work the ball one way or another.
What part of golf do you like to practice the most?
My short game, chipping and putting.
What’s the most difficult thing about golf?
The mental aspect of the game. When I hit a bad shot, I have to figure out how to put that behind me and focus on hitting the next shot. In the game of golf, we don’t have much time to put that bad shot behind us, just the amount of time it takes to walk up to the ball we just hit.
What is your favorite club?
56 degree wedge
What is your favorite course in the world?
My favorite course that I have played is La Cana in Punta Cana, but the course I really want to play someday is Augusta. When we got to Punta Cana this year I hope to also play Corales which is next to La Cana. Both courses are on the ocean and it is really cool to play next to the ocean.
What is your biggest achievement in golf so far?
Making it to DCP nationals
Have you ever participated in a USGA or PGA of America event? If so, which one(s), when, and how did you do?
I participate in North Eastern New York PGA Junior Tournament. This year I won the NENY Championship and player of the year for the 8 to 12 division.
Do you participate in PGA Junior League?
Yes, my Junior League team, team Andersmattson Golf out of Saratoga Springs, NY, has made it to regionals the past 2 years. This year we finished 2nd at the regionals on Cape Cod.
Do you participate in The First Tee?
No.
Local Qualifying Site/Results/Any Memorable Moments:
Town of Colonie Golf Course I finished first with 135 points. First in driving. Second in chipping. First in putting.
Sub-Regional Qualifying Site/Results/Any Memorable Moments:
Turning Stone, Verona, NY. I finished first with 129 points. First in chipping. Second in putting. Memorable moments – I hit my first drive out, but I was able to come back to win. The chipping position was downhill and very hard. On my first chip, it almost went in which gave me a lot of confidence.
Regional Qualifying Site/Results/Any Memorable Moments:
TPC River Highlands. I finished first with 130 points. Memorable moments – I went first for the putting portion and because of that, I wasn’t sure about how fast it was. I blew past the hole and only got one point on my 3rd putt and fortunately was still able to hold onto the lead.
Have you tried to qualify for Drive, Chip and Putt in the past? If so, please list each of the years and previous results:
2016: Did not make it past local qualifier.
2017: Did not make it past local qualifier.
2018: Made it to subregionals.
2019: Third place in subregionals.
2020: Here we are :)
Did you watch last year’s Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals on television? If so, what impact did that have on your participation this year?
I watched part of it and it looked so cool and at the time I said, “I would love to go and watch the Masters sometime in my life,” but I never expected to play there.
List from strongest to weakest – Driving, Chipping, Putting:
Chipping, putting and then driving
Have you ever been to the Masters before? If so, when?
No, I have not
What is your favorite Masters memory? U.S. Open or U.S. Women’s Open memory? PGA Championship or Women’s PGA Championship memory?
My favorite Masters memory is watching Tiger Woods win the tournament last year. My favorite U.S. Open memory was also last year when the tournament came down to the last hole and Gary Woodland came out victorious after sinking a birdie putt. Last year I went to the PGA Championships at Bethpage and the best part was watching all the great golfers with my dad.
What is your favorite memory of watching golf on TV?
Watching Tiger Woods win the Masters with my dad in on our sun porch last spring.
Who is your favorite male golfer, and why?
Rory McIlroy because he has a really good attitude and is a great all-around player that works really hard.
Who is your favorite female golfer, and why?
Dottie Pepper. She does a lot to support local junior golf. She lives near my hometown and I had a chance to meet her in October. She introduced herself to my golf team and congratulated me for the DCP.
Who is the coolest player in golf, and why?
Tommy Fleetwood because he has awesome hair!
Have you ever played with someone famous? Who? Please describe the circumstances:
No I have not but I would love to!
If you could choose to play golf with a dream foursome, who would the other three people be?
Rory McIlroy, Tiger Woods and Tommy Fleetwood.
Do you have any superstitions as it relates to golf? If so, please describe:
No, I do not. But, my coach Scott had noticed a long time ago that I lose focus and talk too much when I eat sugar, so he banned me from eating it before practice (laugh). And I do not eat it before competitions anymore.
Do you play any golf videos games? If so, which one(s)?
I play Rory McIlroy PGA Tour and THEGOLFCLUB.
What food would you serve at your Champions Dinner at Augusta National?
My dad’s homemade beef stroganoff and mom’s homemade mac and cheese. They are both fantastic!
Favorite School Subject:
Social Studies
Favorite School Teacher:
Mr. Moynihan
Favorite Sport (other than golf):
Hockey
Favorite Movie:
The Sandlot
Favorite Singer/Music Group:
Kygo
Favorite TV Show:
Full House
Favorite App:
The Weather Channel. I use it all the time so I can plan golf and know what it will be like when I play.
Favorite Emoji:
Laughing emoji
Explain any talents or interests outside of golf:
I play hockey, ski, soccer, sing in chorus, and play with my dog Westin
Describe any obstacles you’ve overcome in your life:
I have not had any particular obstacles but, I work hard at school and golf every day to be as successful as I can.
Hero/Role Model(s):
My golf role model is my coach Scott Berliner because he has a true passion for the game and works extremely hard for what he has achieved. He is constantly working on his game and always trying to play better and put himself in positions to win tournaments.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
The best golf advice I have gotten is “Play your own game.” My dad tells me this before every tournament. It helps because I can’t control what other people do but if I focus on my game I will bring the best game I can. For non-golf advice is to “be your own person.”
What do you want to be with you grow up?
My dream job would be to play golf for a living.
Describe yourself:
I am a 14 year old 9th grader who lives in Queensbury, NY and goes to Glens Falls High School. I have lived here all my life and really enjoy my community. It is relatively small and you get to know many people well. The members of my family, including my Mom, Dad, my sister Piper, and my puppy Westin. I live close to my friends so when I am not golfing I can bike and play around my house and in my neighborhood. We have a lot of woods and bike trails near my house that I enjoy biking on in the summer. During spring, summer and fall I play a lot of golf, almost every day. During the winter I play Hockey on a travel Hockey team and I ski at West Mountain, which is about 5 miles from my house with my friends and family. I really enjoy school and have a good group of friends. My best subject is math but I really enjoy Social Studies.
Highland Park Country Club – Queensbury, NY
Play Golf Right or Left Handed:
Right-handed
Age Started Playing Golf:
Started about age 3
Lowest Score Shot (9 and/or 18 holes):
9 holes: 5 under / 18 holes: 9 under
Handicap Index:
6.9
How did you become interested in golf?
My dad loves golf and he put a plastic club in my hand as soon as I could hold one. I started by hitting golf balls in and around the outside of my house. Eventually I had to move to foam balls as I started to hit the ball far enough to potentially break windows and do other damage.
Who introduced you to golf?
My dad. When I was less than a year old he would push me around the golf course in a jogging stroller as I slept. Eventually he would bring me out to ride around on the golf cart, so I ended up spending a lot of time on the golf course which made me interested in the game.
Who do you normally play golf with?
My dad and anyone else that has an opening in their group when I am at the course. I play in a lot of tournaments and with kids on my Junior League.
Who is your golf teacher?
Scott Berliner. He has been my golf instructor since about age 6. I did an intro to golf with him and really enjoyed it. I started working with him on a regular basis about age 7 or 8. He has helped me ever since.
I also work with Anders Mattson and Bob Cain for my Junior League through Anders Mattson in Saratoga. My high school golf coach is Steve Zurlo.
What do you like most about playing golf?
It feels really good when you hit a great shot. Golf is also different every time you play it, which makes it fun and challenging. Golf also allows you to be creative when you have to figure out how to play different shots and attempt to work the ball one way or another.
What part of golf do you like to practice the most?
My short game, chipping and putting.
What’s the most difficult thing about golf?
The mental aspect of the game. When I hit a bad shot, I have to figure out how to put that behind me and focus on hitting the next shot. In the game of golf, we don’t have much time to put that bad shot behind us, just the amount of time it takes to walk up to the ball we just hit.
What is your favorite club?
56 degree wedge
What is your favorite course in the world?
My favorite course that I have played is La Cana in Punta Cana, but the course I really want to play someday is Augusta. When we got to Punta Cana this year I hope to also play Corales which is next to La Cana. Both courses are on the ocean and it is really cool to play next to the ocean.
What is your biggest achievement in golf so far?
Making it to DCP nationals
Have you ever participated in a USGA or PGA of America event? If so, which one(s), when, and how did you do?
I participate in North Eastern New York PGA Junior Tournament. This year I won the NENY Championship and player of the year for the 8 to 12 division.
Do you participate in PGA Junior League?
Yes, my Junior League team, team Andersmattson Golf out of Saratoga Springs, NY, has made it to regionals the past 2 years. This year we finished 2nd at the regionals on Cape Cod.
Do you participate in The First Tee?
No.
Local Qualifying Site/Results/Any Memorable Moments:
Town of Colonie Golf Course I finished first with 135 points. First in driving. Second in chipping. First in putting.
Sub-Regional Qualifying Site/Results/Any Memorable Moments:
Turning Stone, Verona, NY. I finished first with 129 points. First in chipping. Second in putting. Memorable moments – I hit my first drive out, but I was able to come back to win. The chipping position was downhill and very hard. On my first chip, it almost went in which gave me a lot of confidence.
Regional Qualifying Site/Results/Any Memorable Moments:
TPC River Highlands. I finished first with 130 points. Memorable moments – I went first for the putting portion and because of that, I wasn’t sure about how fast it was. I blew past the hole and only got one point on my 3rd putt and fortunately was still able to hold onto the lead.
Have you tried to qualify for Drive, Chip and Putt in the past? If so, please list each of the years and previous results:
2016: Did not make it past local qualifier.
2017: Did not make it past local qualifier.
2018: Made it to subregionals.
2019: Third place in subregionals.
2020: Here we are :)
Did you watch last year’s Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals on television? If so, what impact did that have on your participation this year?
I watched part of it and it looked so cool and at the time I said, “I would love to go and watch the Masters sometime in my life,” but I never expected to play there.
List from strongest to weakest – Driving, Chipping, Putting:
Chipping, putting and then driving
Have you ever been to the Masters before? If so, when?
No, I have not
What is your favorite Masters memory? U.S. Open or U.S. Women’s Open memory? PGA Championship or Women’s PGA Championship memory?
My favorite Masters memory is watching Tiger Woods win the tournament last year. My favorite U.S. Open memory was also last year when the tournament came down to the last hole and Gary Woodland came out victorious after sinking a birdie putt. Last year I went to the PGA Championships at Bethpage and the best part was watching all the great golfers with my dad.
What is your favorite memory of watching golf on TV?
Watching Tiger Woods win the Masters with my dad in on our sun porch last spring.
Who is your favorite male golfer, and why?
Rory McIlroy because he has a really good attitude and is a great all-around player that works really hard.
Who is your favorite female golfer, and why?
Dottie Pepper. She does a lot to support local junior golf. She lives near my hometown and I had a chance to meet her in October. She introduced herself to my golf team and congratulated me for the DCP.
Who is the coolest player in golf, and why?
Tommy Fleetwood because he has awesome hair!
Have you ever played with someone famous? Who? Please describe the circumstances:
No I have not but I would love to!
If you could choose to play golf with a dream foursome, who would the other three people be?
Rory McIlroy, Tiger Woods and Tommy Fleetwood.
Do you have any superstitions as it relates to golf? If so, please describe:
No, I do not. But, my coach Scott had noticed a long time ago that I lose focus and talk too much when I eat sugar, so he banned me from eating it before practice (laugh). And I do not eat it before competitions anymore.
Do you play any golf videos games? If so, which one(s)?
I play Rory McIlroy PGA Tour and THEGOLFCLUB.
What food would you serve at your Champions Dinner at Augusta National?
My dad’s homemade beef stroganoff and mom’s homemade mac and cheese. They are both fantastic!
Favorite School Subject:
Social Studies
Favorite School Teacher:
Mr. Moynihan
Favorite Sport (other than golf):
Hockey
Favorite Movie:
The Sandlot
Favorite Singer/Music Group:
Kygo
Favorite TV Show:
Full House
Favorite App:
The Weather Channel. I use it all the time so I can plan golf and know what it will be like when I play.
Favorite Emoji:
Laughing emoji
Explain any talents or interests outside of golf:
I play hockey, ski, soccer, sing in chorus, and play with my dog Westin
Describe any obstacles you’ve overcome in your life:
I have not had any particular obstacles but, I work hard at school and golf every day to be as successful as I can.
Hero/Role Model(s):
My golf role model is my coach Scott Berliner because he has a true passion for the game and works extremely hard for what he has achieved. He is constantly working on his game and always trying to play better and put himself in positions to win tournaments.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
The best golf advice I have gotten is “Play your own game.” My dad tells me this before every tournament. It helps because I can’t control what other people do but if I focus on my game I will bring the best game I can. For non-golf advice is to “be your own person.”
What do you want to be with you grow up?
My dream job would be to play golf for a living.
Describe yourself:
I am a 14 year old 9th grader who lives in Queensbury, NY and goes to Glens Falls High School. I have lived here all my life and really enjoy my community. It is relatively small and you get to know many people well. The members of my family, including my Mom, Dad, my sister Piper, and my puppy Westin. I live close to my friends so when I am not golfing I can bike and play around my house and in my neighborhood. We have a lot of woods and bike trails near my house that I enjoy biking on in the summer. During spring, summer and fall I play a lot of golf, almost every day. During the winter I play Hockey on a travel Hockey team and I ski at West Mountain, which is about 5 miles from my house with my friends and family. I really enjoy school and have a good group of friends. My best subject is math but I really enjoy Social Studies.
