Fort Walton Beach’s boys golf team went into the postseason with five golfers, the minimum it could carry, and a first-year head coach in Brent MacDonald. It left the Class 2A, District 1 tournament as the runner-up, and two of the biggest reasons were twin brothers Caden Job and Connor Job.
- Caden, a senior, finished fourth at 77 at the district tournament Oct. 26 at Fort Walton Beach Golf Club, and Connor, a junior, tied for sixth. The Vikings finished second behind Gulf Breeze and three strokes ahead of South Walton, earning the program’s first trip to regionals in several years.
For Caden, the possibility that districts could be his final high school match was motivation.
“Knowing that this was my last high school match if we didn’t make it to regionals, that just was a little motivation for me to try and put in some extra work and play to my best ability that day,” Caden said.
Connor said he went into the day “just mentally focused.”
At the Class 2A regional tournament Monday, Nov. 2, Caden tied for 12th at 82, and Connor tied for 18th at 88.
Caden said he was seven over par through his first four holes before steadying himself to finish 11 over.
“It was a little struggle off the tee early. The nerves were definitely up there. Some putts just weren’t dropping,” Caden said. “It was overall a rough start, but I finished pretty strong.”
Connor said he started well through his first four or five holes before he began missing fairways.
“But I was still able to get out and make a bogey and still made some pretty good putts to save a bogey or a double bogey, and even a par,” Connor said.
Connor said being part of the group that got the Vikings back to regionals was something to be proud of.
“I’d say it’s pretty motivating knowing that we were the ones that did it in a decently long time,” Connor said. “For our coaches, Coach MacDonald’s first year coaching golf, making it to regionals, that’s something that you’re proud of, the way he coached us.”
Twins, a grade apart
The Job brothers lived in Destin until Caden’s freshman year of high school, when the family moved to Shalimar. Their mother’s parents have long lived in Fort Walton Beach, and their father’s parents live in Crestview. Both parents grew up in the area. Their dad went to Fort Walton Beach, and their mom went to Choctaw.
- “I think she’s come over to the Vikings side now,” Caden said.
Though they are twins, Caden and Connor have been a grade apart since elementary school. That meant a year apart when Caden started high school at Fort Walton Beach while Connor finished middle school in Destin.
“It was a lot different,” Caden said. “But when we were both in high school, it’s just got back to normal.”
Their father, who has played golf since his 20s, got them into the game, and both brothers received clubs for Christmas on year. Connor has played for the Vikings since his freshman year, and Caden joined the team as a sophomore. Both also play baseball for Fort Walton Beach.
What drew Caden to golf, he said, was that it is not a team sport.
“You don’t have to rely on anybody else. If you mess up, it’s your fault,” Caden said. “You can’t really rely on anyone else other than yourself.”
On a team of five, though, the brothers leaned on each other. Caden said the small roster brought them closer.
“There’s not as many people to talk with or do something with. It’s only down to five people,” Caden said. “So I’d say definitely getting to know the person better or building a stronger relationship.”
They are also competitive with each other in just about everything. Asked who usually wins, Caden answered, “Me.” Connor disagreed.
Power and finesse
On the course, the twins have different games. Connor golfs left-handed and Caden golfs right-handed, and MacDonald said their styles differ, too.
- “Caden’s more of a power player. He can drive the ball a ton, whereas I would say Connor’s more finesse,” MacDonald said. “He can still drive the ball a long way being a baseball player, but he’s more specific as to where he wants to put the ball.”
Caden said his strength is off the tee with his driver, while Connor pointed to his putting and wedges. Each spent the season working on the other’s strength. Caden said he struggled with his putting early in the season before he found a rhythm. Connor worked on his driving.
“Last year I rarely hit a driver. I’d always hit three wood,” Connor said. “But this year I focused more on the range, trying to get balls with my longer clubs to go where I want, so that I’m able to hopefully get balls in the fairway and have a good shot.”
MacDonald said many baseball players struggle to hit a golf ball well because the mechanics of the two swings are so different, but the brothers have done a good job keeping them separate. Caden said it still takes time to adjust.
“Coming off baseball season, going into golf, it definitely takes at least a month to get your swing back right, and stop slicing everything,” Caden said.
Asked what his brother does better on the course, Connor pointed to Caden’s composure.
“I’d say maybe stay more focused, not letting it get to his head,” Connor said. “I myself get a little emotional so things get to me quicker, which can, especially in golf, build up.”
Caden said his approach is simple.
- “There’s plenty of shots left in the match,” Caden said. “So if I hit one bad shot, there’s no point in letting that build up and getting mad over it if you got plenty more shots to go.”
The two said golf has taught them lessons that carry beyond the course.
“Just because you make one mistake, don’t let that lead to another,” Caden said. “You just have to stay focused at all times.”
Off the course, both brothers said history is their favorite subject. Caden likes playing and practicing later in the day when it cools off and spending time in the gym. Connor likes to fish in the ponds behind the family’s home on a golf course and play rounds with their dad.
“I like getting out on the golf course with my dad and playing with him and beating him,” Connor said.
Caden said their dad was the better golfer until the last couple of months. They might also have become better baseball players too.
- “He’s still a good golfer, but with how far we’ve come, I think now we’re a little better,” Caden said.
Caden thanked his parents, who he said have been with him the whole way, and Coach Buck McNabb, who he said was a big part of his baseball career early in high school.
A first-year coach’s view
MacDonald took over the program this season after Taryn Gray stepped away to focus on coaching softball for the Vikings. He had been around the team for two years as a parent. His son, Trey, is a junior on the team.
MacDonald, who has coached in the area from 6U basketball to high school lacrosse, said the Job brothers never gave him a hard time.
“They’re good kids. They’re yes sir, no sir,” MacDonald said. “They’ve never really wavered in anything I’ve asked of them as far as practice schedule, communication if they are gonna happen to miss a practice round or range session or something like that.”
MacDonald said Caden worked through a slow start to the season and, from the midway point through regionals, settled in as the team’s No. 2 golfer in every match.
- “A lot of players, especially in golf, it’s a very emotional game, and if you go out there and have a bad match or two, put up a bad score, it’s oftentimes difficult to rebound from that,” MacDonald said. “So he did a very good job rebounding from a slow start to becoming one of the better, more dependable golfers throughout our entire season.”
Connor, he said, was the golfer he could count on.
“As far as consistency, I could always rely on him putting up a respectable number for that particular match,” MacDonald said. “Caden was resilient and bounced back from a slow start, and Connor was extremely consistent throughout the season.”
MacDonald said the team’s camaraderie stood out, and that Caden, as the team’s senior, took some of the younger golfers under his wing, his son included.
At regionals, MacDonald said, the Vikings kept their heads high throughout the round. When Caden reached his final hole, the team was there to watch.
“He finished his final hole with us all watching, and he made par, which was cool,” MacDonald said. “His parents were there. Dad was taking video. Mom, I think, was trying to hold back some emotions, and it was pretty neat to see him make par on his final high school golf hole.”
MacDonald said he didn’t realize how much the season meant until he received texts from opposing coaches congratulating him and the team after regionals.
- “It exceeded all expectations,” MacDonald said. “Golf is a difficult sport. I can go out and shoot a super low round on a Tuesday and just completely bomb on Wednesday, and they held it together all season. It was an absolute blast to be around them. They’re just a good group of kids.”
Four of the team’s five golfers return next season, including Connor, and MacDonald said the players are already talking about getting out to play together. Both brothers now turn their attention to baseball season.
For Caden, his high school golf career is complete. What he’ll miss most, he said, is the time with his teammates.
“I would say practicing with the team and just going to tournaments as a team,” Caden said. “That was probably the best part, just hanging out with them and competing against them.”
