Trent Gregory is just settling into the senior amateur life. Having been retired from the software business for two years, the 57-year-old is finding his groove in the game – and finding the secret to something that has long held him back in golf: the mental game.
“I think it’s more mental than anything,” Gregory said of his two tournament victories in the past seven weeks. “I certainly don’t hit the ball as well as I used to, but my ability to take advantage of the moment instead of thinking about ‘what ifs’ has made a huge difference.”
On Wednesday, Gregory defeated Michael Arasin on the first extra hole to win the Golfweek Senior National at Grandover Resort in Greensboro, North Carolina, just 75 miles west of Gregory’s home in Wake Forest, North Carolina. After both men finished at 5 over, they went back to the 18th hole, a par 5 with water down the left and in front of the green. Gregory won with a two-putt birdie.
Scores: Golfweek Senior National
In January, Gregory lost the Heron Creek Senior in a playoff, so as far as he can remember, his senior playoff record stands at 1-1. He won the Estero Senior Amateur in May before continuing on in the senior amateur circuit – a world he’s just figuring out now that he’s two years into his post-work life.
Gregory played college golf for Methodist University in the 1980s, an NCAA Division III school in Fayetteville, North Carolina, that recently won its 14th national title in program history. Back when he was on the roster, Gregory joked, Methodist played a Division I schedule.
After college, Gregory turned professional and moved south, working as an assistant club professional at the Golf Club of Miami while also playing mini-tour golf for roughly three years.
“Back then there wasn’t a whole lot of money in it and I didn’t have a whole lot of money to back me,” he said of his decision to eventually trade golf for software. “It’s worked out for the best.”
Gregory found out earlier in the week that he had secured an invitation to play the British Senior Amateur for the first time. That tournament takes place July 9-12 at Saunton Golf Club in Braunton, England. He’s also scheduled to qualify for the U.S. Senior Amateur (though the British Senior overlaps the qualifier for which he’s currently registered).
It seems Gregory has found his second life in golf, and he credits much of that to a renewed mindset that perhaps is only possible later in life.
“I wish I had the mental strength when I was younger that I do now,” he said. “I think part of it is just realizing – my friend gave me some of the greatest advice – it’s just golf. When you’re younger, sometimes it’s the end of the world. But I’m still pretty competitive and my main competition is myself.”
In the super senior division, second-round leader Stephen Fox of Pinehurst, North Carolina, held on for a four-shot victory. He finished an impressive 4 under par with Dub Huckabee in second at even par. Marcus Beck was the next-closest player at 10 over.
Jim Gallagher of Charlotte, North Carolina, edged Charley Yandell in the legend division by one shot, finishing at 4 over.
George Owens of Suffolk, Virginia, won the super legend title by a single shot also, finishing at 14 over and one ahead of Johnny Blank.