Doug Pederson’s introduction to golf is a familiar story.
Although Pederson and his brothers Craig and David were involved in almost every team sport, they’d frequently rise before dawn on Saturdays to walk a round with their father Gordy at the Riverside Golf Course in Ferndale, Wash.
The golf course has long since closed and is now the site of apartments and commercial buildings.
The memories remain.
“He was just a recreational Saturday morning golfer, like most dads,” said the Jacksonville Jaguars coach. “He’d tell us, ‘Hey, if you want to play, come on … let’s go. They were 6 a.m. tee times and we’d be there. It was one more way to hang out with Dad.”
Pederson was a standout athlete, eventually making all-state in football, basketball and baseball at Ferndale High School. While his chances to play golf were limited by his high school schedule, Pederson said the sport’s combination of physical and mental challenges was always intriguing to him.
“We played enough golf to pique our interest,” he said of the family outings. “I didn’t get very good right away. That came later, after I was in the NFL as a player, making a little more money, and when you have some coin in your pocket, you can get a nicer set of clubs, get fitted and play more in the offseason.”
Pederson has fond memories of playing golf with teammates at Louisiana-Monroe where he played quarterback, and with his NFL teammates at playing stops in Green Bay, Miami, Philadelphia and Cleveland; and coaching at Kansas City and Philadelphia.
And he has continued his love affair with the game as Jaguars coach — especially the bonding with his family that it provides.
Golf is a big part of Doug Pederson’s downtime
Jacksonville Jaguars coach Doug Pederson has had a lifetime passion for golf that began when his father would take him and his brothers out early Saturday mornings in Ferndale, Wash. (Photo courtesy: American Century Championship)
Pederson is in the middle of a six-week break before he begins training camp to prepare for this third season with the Jaguars. He will spend as much time as possible playing at the Ponte Vedra Inn and Club’s Ocean and Lagoon courses, or the Tequesta Country Club in Jupiter, near his second home.
His wife Jeannie is an avid player and they play as much as possible with their sons Josh, Drew and Joel.
Pederson’s favorite playing partner is his wife.
“I’d rather play with her than any men’s group,” he said. “We…
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