From the Fairway: Jaxon Donaldson’s 30 Minute Journey that was 18 years in the Making

All signs pointed to Jaxon Donaldson playing golf from an early age. His parents, both collegiate golfers, had him set up with a set of plastic clubs from day one. His dad, Jason, played at Texas State, known then as Southwest Texas, and mom Beth played four years at Texas Tech.

"Yeah, he'd whack those plastic clubs all over the yard when he started walking, and all over the house, too," Beth said.

There was one tiny issue...

"He was playing cross handed," Jason explained. "He had his right hand on the top of the club and his left hand lower. It was very unusual, but the golf pro said he'd quit doing it eventually because he couldn't hit it very far that way."

Eventually, Jaxon figured out his swing and graduated from those plastic clubs and is now in his second semester at Texas State as a member of the men's golf team, adding a few championships along the way.

He's running all right. Donaldson has represented the Bobcats in all three tournaments to open his freshman campaign and earned a top 20 finish at the Myrtle Beach Intercollegiate to start the season. To close out the fall, Donaldson traveled the 3,700-plus miles to Kapolei, Oahu as part of the lineup. A stark contrast from the distance to Wimberley, Texas. Donaldson's hometown.

For those who don't know, Wimberley is about 15 miles from the Texas State campus, give or take a tenth of a mile depending on the route you take.

"I wanted to stay in Texas, for sure," said Donaldson. "It just kind of coincidentally ended up me going to college 30 minutes from home. There were other schools for sure, but Texas State just felt like a good fit and I was familiar with the town.

"Obviously my dad had been here, so that was cool to kind of follow his footsteps. After touring campus and meeting the coaches and my future teammates, yeah it just kind of fit. I've always wanted to play golf at the DI level so when they gave me the opportunity, I thought it was a good fit."

Someone else who thought it was a good fit, Jaxon's mom, Beth. If he needed anything he was just right up the road from the family. Quick visit, dinner, anything. Whatever it is, she's happy he's close at Texas State.

Donaldson was a standout at Wimberley High School, winning three individual Texas 4A State Championships and only missing out on the sweep with a runner-up honor as a sophomore. But, there was one problem with the first two years of his high school career. You can't win a team championship without a team and his team didn't qualify having to come out of one of the toughest districts in 4A.

"And he saw everyone else with their team and that became a goal of his," added his father.

That all changed his junior season. Not only did the team qualify, but they had a real chance of winning. Things didn't go as planned, though. A rough second day knocked the Texans out of contention and although he went into the offseason a champion in his own right, he was still searching for that team title.

Unfortunately, the team couldn't achieve the goal, but they did bring home some hardware his senior year, placing second after a day two that had the opposite effect of the previous season as the team climbed from their fourth-place spot to earn runner-up honors. 

"I was fortunate enough to win that week, but what meant more was getting a medal with the guys and that UIL trophy and just getting to experience winning with my best friends," Donaldson said.

With his high school career closed, Donaldson had to find a new group of guys to play for a championship with. The group at Texas State was made up of only four returners compared to six newcomers when he arrived in San Marcos this past August. Jaxon was one of the six, and one of two freshmen. And for him, that meant he didn't stand out as the new guy on campus and the learning curve would be a shared experience.

"Everybody's trying to get to know each other," he described of the team dynamic. "I didn't walk into a team filled with upperclassmen. It wasn't like I was trying to fit in with a group of guys that had been around each other for several years, which I think was a blessing for me."

Two guys who are perhaps on a different curve, navigating the leadership of a squad where most of its members are new, are Jack Burke and Sakke Siltala.  

"Sakke and Jack have been incredible leaders for me, and they have really helped bring this team together… I can't be more grateful for them and just always being there when I have questions. They've just really stepped up for me."

When asked how Burke felt about Donaldson, he was quick to answer…

It would seem the feeling's mutual between the pair.

With just a few days until their first tournament of the spring the ultimate goal for Donaldson and the team is simple.

"Our main goal is to win the Sun Belt Championship and that's what coach holds us to. So, we're continuing to put our heads down because we're hungry for that Sun Belt Championship."

Jaxon doesn't limit himself to only time on the course representing the Bobcats these days. He and his dad still get out there together. His mom, every once in a while. And the games get pretty competitive.

"Now he's starting to make me give him some strokes… so it's pretty even," Jaxon said. "It's kind of a 50/50 depending on the day, but usually I beat him."

But if you ask Jason, it's a different story.

"I always ask him to [give me some strokes], but he never does."

Between time on the course with his dad, or on the putting green in the backyard with the family, Jaxon Donaldson is a golfer. And he knew that from day one.
 
Donaldson and the Bobcats open the spring Monday for the two-day Hal Williams Collegiate in Mobile, Alabama. They're coming off their best finish of the fall, tying for fourth at the Kapolei Invitational.