Big Red Sport Network Profile: Golfer Adrian Jordan ‘24

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Big Red Sport Network Profile: Golfer Adrian Jordan ‘24

by Alexander Donne ‘26

Lawrenceville’s boys’ varsity golf team is currently undefeated – and co-captain Adrian Jordan ’24 has been integral to that hot start.

Adrian is a familiar face on campus, being the son of Religion and Philosophy Department Chair Phil Jordan. “My dad would take me out here on [The Lawrenceville] golf course [starting when he was around eight], and I was pretty good so I just kept on going.”

Now, ten years later, Adrian is the number one seed for the boys’ varsity golf team and ranks fifth in New Jersey in his age group. None of these successes came about because of luck. Adrian practices every summer, every day, usually around four to five hours per day.

According to Adrian, while the physical aspect of golf is complicated “The mental aspect is more prevalent [in golf] than in other sports,” he stated. It is most important, he explained, to “maintain a stable and healthy mental attitude [even when having a bad day], not let that get into your head, and just play with what you have.”

Because each golf match can take anywhere from two hours if it’s nine holes and up to six hours if it’s 18, maintaining mental focus throughout that entire time period can be a big challenge. Adrian explained that in order to keep himself mentally in check, he has what he called “swing thoughts” whenever he’s on the course. Some of these thoughts include how he’s feeling with his swing, how he can get his body to move when swinging, and more. Every couple of holes, he noted, he’ll “reflect on how I’m feeling and what I can do to get back in a good position.” This helps keep him focused throughout a golf match, and it’s a skill that has improved over time.

Jordan’s time at Lawrenceville has been full of individual and interscholastic achievements that have allowed him to be able to play at the college level next year, something that he is really proud of. His personal highlight of last summer is that he finished in the top 10 in the New Jersey Amateur Championships. He plays a lot of junior tournaments each summer and his best finish last summer was a tie for fifth place. He’s had a huge impact for the Lawrenceville golf team as well, being part of the effort that won the Lawrenceville a MAPL Championship in the 2022-2023 spring season. In addition, as a Second Former, he won the individual state championship and Big Red earned the team title. His talents have been scouted by Kenyon College, which Adrian plans to attend next fall.

While golf is technically an individual sport, Adrian emphasized that this year’s golf team is “really closely bonded” and has a great team dynamic. He has embraced his role as co-captain, explaining that he likes to “to give some of the other guys some advice on their swings or short game” and enjoys the “aspect of leadership” that being a captain offers. One of his jobs this year was to help plan the team’s spring break trip to Arizona, where they strengthened both their games and their bonds as teammates.

Due to construction of Tsai Field House, which temporarily disrupted Lawrenceville’s golf course, the Big Red golf team practices about ten minutes from campus on the Mountain View Golf Course. If the weather turns bad, the team heads to the Kirby Math and Science Center basement, where a golf simulator has been installed. Adrian explained that the simulator was also an aid in determining which players would make the varsity team because “it gives feedback on what your swing looks like, and where the ball would have gone if it was a real course.”

Adrian attributed the golf team’s recent success to the depth of the squad’s roster. The number of talented players takes the pressure off him and, “I don’t have to be at my best for the team to win.” He explained that this season, the golf team has  the “most packed schedule its ever had” but is very confident in his teammates, coach, and himself. When asked if there was anything he would like to add he answered fittingly, stating, “Look out for us this season. I think we have the best team we've had in a while. And we've gotten off to a hot start. So just be on the lookout.”

Photo credit: Aileen Ryu ‘25

For additional information, contact Lisa M. Gillard H'17, director of public relations, at lgillard@lawrenceville.org.