Woodberry Forest Golf

Wednesday, May 12, 2021

2021 Season: VPL Tournament

The Tigers played well today at the 45th VPL Golf Championship at the 6600-yard, par 72-layout at the Old Trail GC in Crozet. Woodberry Forest was seeking its 32nd Prep League title.

Woodberry's team score of 292 (+4) was tied by Collegiate. The first tiebreaker uses the fifth score, so Collegiate edged Woodberry 77-78. It is the Cougars' fourth Prep League title, their first since 2007. It's only the second time in Prep League history that a team other than Woodberry has scored this low--St. Christopher's (285) in 2018.

Congratulations to Captain Benny Haggin, who fired a (-3) 69 to earn his second VPL Player of the Year award, the 23rd time a Woodberry Forest golfer has done so. Benny's round included six birdies.

Turner Edwards overcame a rough start to shoot a (+2) 74, equaled by teammate Will Brown, whose heroic birdie on the 18th hole secured the tie. Both Turner and Will earned all-Prep honors by finishing in the top 10.

Coops Cooper rounded out the scoring with a (+3) 75. Bennett Perry (+6) 78 and John Tandberg (+7) 79 also competed.

The Tigers have been invited to the VISAA golf championship in Williamsburg on Monday, May 17, where they are the defending champions.

Thanks to the parents who came out today to support the team.

Tuesday, May 4, 2021

2021 Season: Match report 9

The Tigers traveled south of the James River to play at Salisbury Country Club versus the Trinity Episcopal Titans. Even though Woodberry's solid play continues, the Tigers came up on the short end of a 145-149 score, thanks to a record -5 under 31 by Garrett Kuhla from Trinity Episcopal.

Turner Edwards's 35 (-1) led the Tigers, followed by a trio of 38's (+2) from Bennett Perry, Coops Cooper, and Will Brown. Benny Haggin and John Tandberg fired 39's.

It is only the fourth time since 1986 that a Woodberry team score of 150 or less wasn't enough to win the match.

April 16, 2002 - Woodberry Forest 149, Collegiate 146. WFS GC
March 30, 2008 -- Woodberry Forest 149, Collegiate 145, WFS GC
May 8, 2018 -- Woodberry Forest 138, St. Christopher's 133, CCV-Westhampton

The Tigers fall to 9-2.

Sunday, May 2, 2021

2021 Season: Match report 8

Returning home to play on back-to-back days, the Tigers looked none the worse for wear. Turner Edwards fired a -1 round of 34 to lead Woodberry to a comfortable 140-180 victory of arch-rival Episcopal High School. Again Coach Hastie filed the match report.

On the A squad Turner Edwards shot the lowest round of 34, followed by Benny Haggin and Coops Cooper who both shot a 35, Bennett Perry with a 36, John Tandberg with a 37, and Will Brown with a 42. The score was 140 (WSF) to 180 (EHS).

As for the B squad, Logan McNabb clinched the low score of 38, followed by Graham Roberts and Chris Nabors at 39, Meade Seay at 41,Thomas Mills at 42, and William Andrews who also shot a 42. The score was 157 (WFS) to 225 (EHS).

Excellent playing out there today!

With the win, Woodberry improves to 9-1 on the season. The even par 140 match score is the second time the Tigers have done so this year and the sixth time they have had a match score in the 140's, a new school record.

Saturday's match also marked the final home match for the Varsity A. Coach Hogan published the following tributes before the match to the golfers in the class of 2021.

Thomas Mills - Thomas made the varsity in 2019 as a fourth former and played in two matches. Today, Thomas makes his 2021 debut.

Meade Seay - As a third-former and fourth former, Meade participated in nearly every JV match. In 2019, Meade played in two varsity matches, earning his first letter. Meade has played in two matches in 2021.

John Tandberg - In 2019, John made the JV team and played in three matches. He qualified for one varsity match and earned a letter. In 2021, John has played in every match and has a scoring average of 38.64

Benny Haggin -Benny played in all 13 varsity matches his third-form year. He was medalist twice, shooting 34 (-1) at home against St. Chris, and 33 (-2) again at home vs. Benedictine. He earned the All-State honors with a round of 74 (+2) as part of the 2018 championship team. In 2019, Benny led the team in scoring with a 36.38 scoring average and had a round of 32 (-3) against Trinity Episcopal at home. He shot 72 (E) at the VPL championship to win the Prep League's individual title. Benny's 74 (+2) at the state championship earned him his second All-State honors.

As captain of this year's squad, Benny has been the medalist in four of the seven events played. He has lowered his scoring average to 34.57, the first Woodberry Forest golfer to have a match scoring average under par.

2021 Season: Match report 7

Looking to redeem themselves after the first loss of the season, the Tigers traveled to Hermitage Country Club to play Collegiate in a rare 18-hole event. Coach Hogan was away from campus attending his daughter's college graduation, so Coach Hastie took the reigns and filed this report:

With wind gusts up to 50 miles per hour, the course proved to be a challenging opponent. But nothing is too challenging for our players. Benny Haggin had a 74, followed by Turner Edwards who shot a respectable 75, John Tandberg with a 77, Coops Cooper at a 78, Bennett Perry with 84, and Meade Seay with a 90.

Woodberry came away with an impressive 304-321 victory over the Cougars. The win improved the Tigers record to 8-1

Thursday, April 29, 2021

2021 Season: Match report 6

Woodberry Forest traveled to Richmond to play the always tough CCV-Westhampton course against St. Christopher’s. The Tigers came out of the short end 143-150. It is the team’s first match loss this year.

Benny Haggin was low for Woodberry with a one-over-par 35, followed by Bennett Perry (37), and Meade Seay and Coops Cooper (39). Turner Edwards (40) and John Tandberg (41) also played.

Tuesday, April 27, 2021

2021 Season: Match report 5

Playing under windy conditions against two of the best golf teams in the state, the Tigers shot an impressive even par 140 to edge Collegiate (146) and Trinity Episcopal (155). Senior Benny Haggin continued his good form, earning medalist honors again with a -2 round of 33. Junior Turner Edwards fired a -1 round of 34, while classmates Coops Cooper +1 36 and Bennett Perry ( +2, 37) completed the Tigers' scoring. Will Brown (39) and John Tandberg (41) also played.

With the wins, Woodberry improves its record to 7-0, its best start since 2012 (8-0). The fifth match score in the 140's ties the season record set by the 2007 Tigers, who went on to finish 3rd in the Prep League.

2021 Season: Match report 4

Playing in cool, windy conditions today, the Tiger golfers scored two impressive wins. The varsity group improved to 5-0 with a 148-186 win over St. Anne's-Belfield School.

For the third time this season, senior Benny Haggin was medalist, carding a -1 round of 34. Fifth former Turner Edwards fired a +2 round of 37, while third former Will Brown overcame two early double bogeys to post a +3 38. Senior John Tandberg completed the Tigers' team score with a +4 39. Fifth formers Bennett Perry (40) and Coops Cooper (42) also played in the match.

The Tigers have now scored in the 140's in all four matches this spring, one off the season record held by the 2007 Woodberry team.

The JV golfers cruised past Fork Union Military Academy, 162-216. Fourth formers William Andrews and Graham Roberts shared medalist honors with 39's. Classmate Logan McNabb (41) and third former Chris Nabors (43) completed the scoring. Third former Jack Wilson (44) and fourth former Griffin Warlow (46) also played in the match.

Golf Facilities

Our golf facilities are unmatched. The only high school in Virginia with its own course, Woodberry plays its home matches on a nine-hole golf course designed in 1926 by Donald Ross. We also have the Graves Golf Practice Area, built in 1991, which has a driving range, two practice greens and sand bunkers. With our Doppler-based TrackMan launch monitors, we can track each player’s clubhead speed, ball speed, launch angle, and carry distance. We can then use this data to test different equipment. Our indoor putting green allows us to practice putting and short-game skills in any weather.

Coach’s Corner: Varsity Golf Coach Marc Hogan

Of the campus’s many resources, the school’s golf facilities truly set it apart. With a nine-hole Donald Ross-designed golf course and a range of other amenities for the teaching of golf, Woodberry is poised to nurture the young golfer. And no one is more suited to bring together the promising golfers who choose Woodberry Forest with traditional techniques honed at the Graves Practice Area and modern-day technological tools installed in the Squash Pavilion than Marc Hogan.

Having worked with the golf program for over twenty years, Marc holds a Level III golf teaching certification from the United States Golf Teachers' Federation and a Level I golf fitness instructor certification from the Titleist Performance Institute. He was the first coach certified in the DECADE course management system, which teaches players course strategy. His contributions to the game have been honored by the Virginia Prep League, which has named him Coach of the Year nine times, and by VISAA, which has awarded him the title six times.

As he does in his English classroom, Marc embraces technology in the teaching of golf. With particular support from Mitch Hull ’77 and past parents Hallie and Ed Pettegrew, as well as an anonymous gift, the school has video-recording devices, computers, and three launch monitors that analyze a player’s stroke and help him match it to swings used by the world’s most successful golfers.

Marc is a Greensboro, North Carolina, native and earned his BA and MA from the University of Virginia. He has taught English at Woodberry Forest since 1987. A scratch golfer, Marc has qualified for the Virginia Senior Amateur Championship six times and made match play four times in 2017, 2019 (round of 16), 2020, and 2021. He has also qualified for the VSGA Amateur Championship in 2021 and 2022. He lives in the Rapp House with his wife Linda, who works in Culpeper. They have three daughters, Miranda, who lives and works in Staunton; Anna Grey ’14, who lives and works in Charlottesville; and Cordelia '17, who lives and works in Charlotte.