Iowa Golf Hall of Famers keep their game sharp

Jon Brown has been playing golf for as long as he can remember.

“I grew up in a golf family and played in my first tournament at eight years old,” he said.

Brown, 55, who lives in Adel, Iowa, has won the Iowa Amateur Championship twice – once after becoming a senior golfer. The Iowa Golf Hall of Famer won in 2006 and 2019. The 2019 win came with a few extra hurdles, including a lengthy recovery from back surgery a few years prior. But Brown has been determined to keep playing – and competing. “I love the competition aspect of the sport,” he said.

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Brown is currently gearing up for a busy tournament season, which will culminate with the U.S. Senior Amateur Championship, held in Truckee, Calif., on Aug. 26. Brown earned an exemption into the championship by making it to the quarterfinals last year. The 45th Annual Iowa Senior Amateur Championship, which offers senior and super-senior (65+) divisions, will be held at the Dubuque Golf & Country Club beginning Aug. 23. The 54-hole stroke play tournament is one of many Iowa tournaments that offer options for seniors.

To maintain tournament readiness, Brown does more than just practice his swing. About 10 years ago, he began taking CrossFit classes with his wife, Cherie, and the couple also enjoys hot yoga. “Stretching is one of the most important things you can do,” Brown said. As he’s gotten older, Brown’s noticed an increased need to focus on strength training and stretching, which directly impact his game.

Brown doesn’t bring his competitive spirit to yoga class. “I think I’m bad at it,” he said. According to Brown, it’s about doing as much as you’re able to without comparing yourself to others. “Your body is yours uniquely, and it might not do what others can do. And that’s okay.”

This was something Brown faced in a very real way post-surgery. He estimates that his game is at about 85 percent of where it once was – and that’s after a lot of hard work. Although he still competes against college-aged folks – “kids,” as he put it – in tournaments like the Iowa Match Play, he recognizes that it’s getting a bit more difficult. But whether he keeps competing in regular meets or senior meets, he doesn’t plan to stop anytime soon. “I’m trying to maintain my competitive edge for as long as possible,” Brown said.

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Another Iowa senior golfer, Mike McCoy, has also made it a point to keep his game strong as he’s gotten older. The current U.S. Walker Cup Team Captain and Iowa Golf Hall of Famer walks, regularly goes to the gym, and doesn’t let playing from the senior tees bother him.” There’s no shame in moving up a set of tees as you age,” he said.

McCoy, who lives half of the year in North Palm Beach, Florida, and half in Norwalk, Iowa, grew up playing at the Wakonda Club in Des Moines. Today, he particularly enjoys playing at the Cedar Rapids Country Club and The Harvester Club in Rhodes. Although he’s had to adapt his game as he’s gotten older, he doesn’t let his age constrain him. “You have to mentally accept the fact that you don’t hit the ball quite as far, but that doesn’t mean you can’t play good golf,” he said.

At 60, McCoy said he plans to keep playing into his 80s – even if that means he has to be a little bit more tactical and a little less powerful. In September, he’ll travel to St Andrews, Scotland as a captain of the U.S. Walker Cup Team. McCoy played on the 2015 team and is enjoying his captain role, which involves a lot of “detail” work, like selecting uniforms and shoes. His favorite part has been getting to know many of the American amateur players across the country.

Golf has opened up doors professionally for McCoy, and meeting new people at home or on the road is one of his favorite things about playing. He recommends golfers join men’s or women’s leagues as a way to play with other seniors wherever they live. He also pointed out that one bonus to getting older is that a lot of folks have more time to dedicate to the game – and they could even improve certain skills. Making it a priority and staying as healthy as possible has helped McCoy continue to enjoy the game. “I think I still have a lot of great golf ahead of me,” he said.

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