Tennessee Tech senior men’s golfer Haden Maxwell is finishing his collegiate career on a high note, and it all starts with one aspect of his game: His putting.
“My putting has been really well,” Maxwell said. “It has saved me in numerous situations and it’s also benefited me if I make a long putt for birdie and inside five feet has been really solid too within the past two, three tournaments, so it’s always nice to have that assurance of not worrying about those knee-knocking ones.”
Maxwell said he has spent three years refining his putting, turning hours of practice into consistency on the greens. Maxwell said one particular moment stands out, shaping the confidence he carries into tournaments.
“Either of the events at UT Martin or the Carolina Cup,” Maxwell said. “I felt like it was a lot easier because how my dad always said, try to envision the hole as big as a washtub and that’s kind of how it felt during those moments because once you see them fall, it’s difficult to stop.”
This fall, Maxwell averaged 69.4 strokes in September across multiple events, earning him Ohio Valley Conference Golfer of the Month honors. Maxwell also won the Carolina Cup, becoming the first Tennessee Tech player in nearly two decades to capture back-to-back tournament victories. Maxwell also placed second at the Xavier Invitational, firing a low round of 65.
Maxwell said despite his individual success, he emphasizes what the team accomplishes.
“I feel like I’ve done exceptionally well,” Maxwell said. “But us as a team, we’ve done really well also. We bounced back really well after our year last year. We are so close, we just got to get all our ducks in a row.”
Maxwell said he hopes to use his final couple of months on the golf team as a means to advocate for the Golden Eagles golf teams. Maxwell will resume his senior year on the golf course February 23rd at the Gulf Coast Collegiate in New Orleans.
