Shipley’s Grayson Wingerter is Main Line Boys Athlete of the Week (May 13-19)
The senior golfer and second-year team captain won the Friends’ Schools League tournament on May 8 with a one-over par 73 on the Paxon Hollow Golf Club. During his high school career he has posted a 28-3 record in matches. His father, James Wingerter, used to play golf professionally on the Canadian tour. Shipley golf coach Monica Pedano said, “I have been a high school coach for over two decades, and have never coached a golfer with the pure raw talent that Grayson possess. His high school record, and his quiet and understated leadership to this team as captain and MVP for the last two years has led to the incredible success of our program.” In the fall, Wingerter will attend the University of Mississippi.
Q: What do you think was the biggest key(s) to your performance at the Friends’ Schools League tournament?
A: I think my biggest key to winning was my ability to hit greens in regulation. Although I didn’t see many puts go in that day, giving myself multiple chances at birdie helped me secure the win.
Q: What do you think is the strongest part of your game?
A: I think the strongest part of my game is my scrambling and recovery shots. I usually hit driver whenever I can and don’t usually lay up, so sometimes I can put myself in sticky situations off the tee. But I think my ability to recover and hit abnormal shots to secure a par is my strongest part of the game.
Q: What do you think was your best match this spring for Shipley? What was working particularly well for you that day?
A: I think my best match this year was against Germantown friends at home at White Manor. I had a pretty boring scorecard with nine pars, but I minimized my mistakes and when I made mistakes I was able to recover with a couple good up and downs.
Q: What is your favorite hole at your home course, Llanerch Country Club, and why?
A: My favorite hole at Llanerch is No. 18. From the scorecard it looks like an easily driveable par 4, but with the iconic tree in the middle of the fairway and the toughest green on the course, it is easy to make bogey and mess up your round.
Q: What is your favorite golf course and why?
A: My favorite golf course I’ve played is Merion Golf Club. Usually I am not a fan of short courses with small greens and prefer bigger, open courses but Merion is different. I think it is one of the most special places in all of golf and holds so much history. I honestly could not name one bad hole on the course and I think it is one of the hardest courses in the world for being 6,500 yards from the back tees.
Q: Who is your favorite golfer and why? Is there a golfer whose game you try to pattern your game after?
A: My favorite golfer right now is Brooks Koepka. Although he went to LIV, I think his mindset about golf is something I try to pattern in my own game. Brooks is hard on himself, keeps track of who he lost to and does not forget about it, which I think is something I do as well. His goal is to have double digit wins in majors and thinks anything short of that is a failure, so he works hard to reach his goal whether others think it is unrealistic or not.
Q: What originally sparked your interest in golf? What golf mentors have been particularly influential to you, and what was the most important thing you learned from each of them?
A: What sparked my interest in golf was my dad. Before I was born my dad played professionally on the Canadian tour so growing up I always saw him with a club in his hand. The best piece of advice he gave me about golf was to stay level headed on the course. I am usually one to let my emotions get the best of me which causes more mistakes on the golf course, so him teaching me to stay level has helped improve my game.
Q: What is your favorite club and why?
A: My favorite club is the putter, because you could hit a bad drive and a decent approach shot and still make birdie with a good putt, but you can’t do the same if you hit a good drive, good approach shot and miss a short putt.
Q: What is your favorite golf ball and why?
A: My favorite golf ball right now is a Titleist Pro V1 or a Titleist Pro V1x Left Dash. I think both those balls give me the distance I want plus the spin I need. I usually alternate the ball depending on the course I’m playing for the day.
Q: What has been your favorite golfing accomplishment outside of Shipley?
A: My favorite accomplishment outside of Shipley is winning the Pennsylvania Golf Association Father-Son Championship twice with my Dad, the first one being in 2021 at Omni Bedford Springs and the second last year at Toftrees Golf Resort. It is really special for me to win a tournament with my dad twice since he is the one who introduced me to the game in the first place. This year we hope to go back to back and keep the trophy where it belongs, in the Llanerch trophy case.
Q: What is your favorite academic subject at Shipley? What do you think you’d like to major in at Ole Miss? Is there a particular career field that interests you at the present time?
A: My favorite subject at Shipley is Math. I like problem solving and finding solutions to all types of equations. At Ole Miss I plan to major in Business, and one day hope to start a business and be my own boss.
Fun facts – Grayson Wingerter
Favorite book: The Great Gatsby.
Favorite author: F. Scott Fitzgerald.
Favorite TV show: Criminal Minds.
Favorite movie: Good Will Hunting.
Favorite athlete: Bryce Harper.
Favorite pre-match pump-up song: Dog Talk, by OT7 Quanny.
Favorite team: Phillies.
Favorite place to visit: Lake Placid, N.Y.
Favorite pre-match meal: Shake Shack.
Person I most admire, and why: “Zach Bryan because of what he has been through in his life and what he represents as a person.”
Family members: parents James and Jessica, sister Maggie.
(To be selected as Main Line Boys Athlete of the Week, a student-athlete must first be nominated by his coach.)
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