Woodberry Forest Golf

Saturday, April 6, 2024

Varsity A takes two

Battling two IAC opponents, St. Alban's and Georgetown Prep, unseasonably cold temperatures, and gusty winds, the Tigers prevailed at home by a comfortable margin, 382 (WFS), 397 (GP), and 417 (STA). The match featured teams of eight, with five scores making up the teams' total.

Mack Edwards continued his strong play, firing a 68 (-2), five shots better than the next-lowest score and sixteen shots better than the average score.

Henry Cardwell stayed in good form, shooting a one-under 34 on the back nine to finish with a 73. Will Brown had a 79, and Chris Nabors and Tommy McMillan completed the team scoring with a pair of 81's.

Also competing for Woodberry were James Doyle (83), Taylor Blackwell (84), and Wade Logan (85).

The Tigers improve their record to 5-0-1 and travel to Arlington on Tuesday to face Episcopal.

Friday, April 5, 2024

B Varsity scores win over STAB

Today, the Varsity B Tigers faced the Saints at the cold and windy WFS GC and came out on top, 171-183. Third former James Gavin was the medalist with a 42, followed by a trio of teammates with 43's: Jack Wilson, Will Guthrie, and Bud Miller. Hunter Hueman (44) and George Griffin (49) also participated.

Woodberry improves to 3-0-1. The A group plays tomorrow at home versus two IAC opponents, St. Alban's and Georgetown Prep.

Tuesday, April 2, 2024

Record Day for Tiger Golfers at St. Christopher's

Woodberry traveled to Richmond to face St. Christopher's at the CCV-Westhampton. Led by Mack Edwards' four-under par 30, the Tigers beat the Saints by eight shots, 136-144. The even-par score is the lowest a Woodberry golf team has ever had playing at St. Christopher's.

Mack's score ties an individual record for the lowest score in an away match (Zach Randol, '00 at Meadowcreek GC vs. Covenant), and is only bettered by Peter Knade's '16 score of 28 (-7) at home against St. Christopher's.

Henry Cardwell had a 33 (-1), James Doyle shot 35, and Will Brown carded a 38 to round out the team score. Chris Nabors (38) and Taylor Blackwell (42) also participated.

With the win, Woodberry improves to 2-0-1 overall and in the Prep League. They play at home on Saturday at 1 pm vs. St. Alban's and Georgetown Prep.

Thursday, March 28, 2024

When a tie isn't a tie...Woodberry vs. Collegiate, 3/28/24

The Tigers hosted a young Cougar squad today. Woodberry again got off to a slow start but finished strong to tie Collegiate 146-146.

Seniors Will Brown and Chris Nabors both shot 36, while Mack Edwards and Henry Cardwell had 37s. Collegiate's number #6, Henry Palmore, was the match medalist. He shot 34 (-1) to tie the match.

Tommy McMillan was Woodberry's fifth score (39), which tied the Collegiate #5 score. The Tigers' James Doyle (42) provided the winning margin (42) over the Cougars' last player (44).

Even though Woodberry won the tie-breaker, the match is officially recorded as a tie. The Tigers (1-0-1, 1-0-1) travel to Richmond to face St. Christopher's on Tuesday.

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Tigers victorious in 2024 season opener

Woodberry Forest opened its 2024 campaign with a narrow 150-156 victory at home over defending Prep League champion Trinity Episcopal. The Tigers got off to a slow start--seven over par in the first three holes--but rallied to only lose three more shots over the final six.

Woodberry was led by Will Brown and Mack Edwards, who both carded two-over-par rounds of 37. Chris Nabors and James Doyle fired a pair of 38s to complete the scoring. Tommy McMillan (39) and Henry Cardwell (40) also played.

Woodberry (1-0, 1-0) plays on Thursday at home vs. Collegiate

Wednesday, January 31, 2024

2023 VPL Championship: Same Old Story

History repeats itself. For the third consecutive year, the Tigers came up one shot short of a Prep League title. Collegiate shot 299 to Woodberry’s 300, giving the Cougars their second title in three years.

For the second straight season, the Tigers had five All-Prep golfers by virtue of finishing in the top 10.

Mack Edwards shot 71 to finish third, his second All-Prep honor. Tommy McMillan (2nd All-Prep) and Will Brown (3rd All-Prep) shot 76, and Chris Nabors and James Doyle (1st time All-Prep) both fired 77.

Coach Marc Hogan was later names co-Coach of the Year.

Final

Collegiate 299

Woodberry Forest 300

Trinity Episcopal 306

St. Christopher’s 308

Norfolk Academy 316

State Champions!

The Tigers put together a memorable effort and took the 2023 Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Assocation's title at Meadowbrook Country Club. The 291 score defeated second-place Collegiate by six shots.

With the win, Woodberry garnered its sixth state title. The Tigers have participated in every VISAA Championship since its establishment in 2008.

See this article for more details.

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.