Cushing High School sophomore golfer Kyler Claxton is learning that success on the course starts long before he pulls a club from his bag. It begins with the way he carries himself, the people he looks up to and the perspective he keeps when a round does not go his way.
Claxton, a sophomore at Cushing, said his older brother is the person who pushes him the most, even when his brother is not standing beside him on the tee box. “I would say my brother inspires me,” Claxton said. “He is someone I look up to and me, seeing all of the things he has already accomplished in his life makes me want to be better every day and more like him.”
On the course, Claxton has already put together some strong numbers at his home track, Buffalo Rock. His best 18-hole round so far is an 8-over-par 78, and he has fired a 1-under 34 for his best nine-hole score there. Those rounds are fueled by trust in his short game and a belief that championships are often decided on the greens.
“The putter,” Claxton said when asked about his favorite club. “Because your driver doesn’t win championships, but your putter can.” It is an approach that fits with his overall mindset in golf, where he tries not to get caught up in what just happened or what might be waiting for the next hole.
“Golf specifically, during the time I’ve been playing, has taught me to have more patience because everything takes time,” Claxton said. “Another lesson I’ve learned from playing golf is don’t worry about the past or what hasn’t even happened, just focus on what’s in front of you.”
Away from tournaments, Claxton enjoys the relationships that come with being part of the Cushing golf program. “I enjoy the community, everyone supports each other out there on the golf course,” he said. “I also enjoy hanging out with the guys after tournaments and the talks we have on the bus rides home.”
In the classroom, Claxton lists Spanish as his favorite subject and points to Mrs. Taylor as his favorite teacher from any grade. When he is not studying or practicing, he likes to play video games with his dad, go on runs and even spend time yo-yoing.
Claxton’s favorite course he has played so far is Tour 18 in Texas, but one day he hopes to walk the fairways of Paynes Valley in Missouri. He said he wants to play the Tiger Woods-designed layout because of its architecture and the “pure beauty” of the course. His favorite professional golfer is Scottie Scheffler, largely because of the world No. 1’s priorities.
“My favorite golfer is Scottie Scheffler because although he is a very good golfer, he doesn’t care too much about the outcome no matter how he plays,” Claxton said. “I like how Scottie thinks and how he says that golf is not the most important thing to him in life.”
