On a recent Sunday morning, Jack Kemper rolled a three-foot putt to the edge of the cup, then guided another 15 footer to the doorstep of the hole.
The crowd of thousands erupted in cheers as the 12-year-old took in the scene on Augusta National Golf Club’s 18th green, the exact spot where golf’s greatest players have stood, home to some of the most iconic golf moments ever.
“It was so cool, because there were so many people and it was like the tournament,” Kemper said.
Kemper’s pitch-me moment occurred during this year’s Drive, Chip and Putt Finals held the weekend before the Masters. Kemper, who takes lessons and participates in classes at The Golf Practice, has been playing golf since he was about two years old.
The experience “has made me fall in love with golf a lot more, because it makes me realize how many cool experiences there are out there, and it motivates me to keep working hard,” he said.
Kemper was among 80 young golfers from across the United States who participated in the 11th annual event, a culmination of a nationwide junior golf development competition. The event is attended by parents, friends, Augusta members, golfing dignitaries and past Masters champions.
Kemper was the first golfer in the boys ages 12 and 13 division to compete in the drive portion of the event.
“I hit two perfect drives, which I was really happy about. The walk from the drive to the chip to the putt was so cool because everyone was clapping for me,” he said.
The event “was just extraordinary, beyond special. Hard to put into words,” his father Scott said. “It was just incredible. It is hard to pick one moment.”
Kemper said he was nervous, but excited during the event.
“The mental coaching at (The Golf Practice) has helped me a lot to prepare for this. That’s one of the biggest parts,” he said.
During the event, Kemper met former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, a member at Augusta National and 2024 Masters Champion Scotty Scheffler.
This summer, Kemper, a member of TPG’s M360 Junior Elite program, will play in several tournaments and continue working with his coach TGP and Director of Instruction Jantzen Miserak.
“From our first lesson together, I’ve always seen the skill Jack has in his game,” Miserak said. He’s a gamer. He knows how to get the ball in the hole no matter the challenge.”
This offseason Kemper has been working on eliminating his big miss with his full swing and strategies around the green to set himself up for tournament season, he added.
“After seeing him handle his nerves and the big stage of Augusta, I think that sets him up for an exciting season ahead,” Miserak said.
Kemper and his father returned to Augusta later in the week and watched the first round of the tournament.
“We walked the whole course, followed some players, and then during the last couple hours, we had chairs set up on 18, and we just watched the groups come through,” he said, noting that the 6th hole is his favorite. “You hit from a high tee shot, and it’s like 60-70 feet downhill. And they are so many cool pink, yellow and red flowers.”
