Hudson Mitchell's rise in golf might seem like a natural, but the Catholic high grad made the most of opportunity and foresight with remarkable determination and talent to uphold a very impressive family legacy.

That's my house.

Growing up along the ninth hole at the Pensacola Country Club, an early start in golf was a natural for Hudson Mitchell.

My dad would bring me out because the range is obviously right.

Right down the road.

I'd hit with plastic clubs inside and then come out here and just stink balls around.

Hudson was much more into baseball as a youngster, but his dad, Scott, was thinking long term.

He made his right handed son, learned to hit lefty to avoid producing bad tendencies in his golf swing.

I was so mad at the time.

He had no concept as to why he was making, you know, he told me.

But I was like, whatever, okay, sure.

I didn't really I didn't I didn't really believe in it.

If I didn't think I'd be playing golf when I was, or as a fifth grader.

Hudson switched to lacrosse as his main sport.

He excelled and had big dreams until an eye opening experience as an eighth grader.

We went to a lacrosse camp in Auburn, and I realized some of these kids that were coming down from up north were much, much, much better than I was.

That's when he finally decided to get serious about golf.

His first big step as a freshman, trying out for the high level golf program at Catholic High.

The first day of tryouts.

And I was, I think, three under three six, and I had never been under par before.

I don't know what was happening.

I was just playing really well.

And I told him I was like, I've never played this well.

I just, I mean, I just, hope I make the team.

He's like, you're going to make the team by this.

And then I went bogey double, triple to finish.

And I finished like four over.

And it was I'm so mad.

But I made the team.

He would go on to compete with the team at the state championship tournament as a freshman.

But his next big progression came a year later in 2022 at the prestigious Pensacola Country Club Championship tournament held since 1926.

The event had never been won by a junior golfer.

15 year old Hudson reached the final hole realizing he had a one shot lead.

I was like, shaking over the ball and I just kind of took the most.

I hit it so pure, but it was the swing.

Like I couldn't even feel it because I just went back.

It was just so my arm so flimsy, and I hit it and it just kind of drew and landed on the greens.

I was so happy that I was on top of the world.

That's easily my favorite win I've ever had some great moments, but Hudson's game was still inconsistent, not in a position to achieve his goal of a college scholarship in 2023, he turned to the new head pro at PCC, Andrew Boston.

Golf is not something where you're going to see a change overnight, so this is something that, you know, took six, eight, ten, 12 months of him to evolve and get a handle on and really feel comfortable with.

And he put the work in 100%.

He was here practicing all day, every day, whenever he could.

He was put in the work.

And he's really become, a complete player.

He hits the ball well, he hits it straight.

He's picked up a lot of distance.

And his putting, which was once, you know, arguably a weakness, has really become a strength of his for Hudson.

The putting guidance from Boston has been the biggest difference maker.

I talked with him and we got over what I needed to do.

And I just practice, practice, practice all the time.

Even on Mondays when the courses closed, I'd be just walk over with my putter and socks and just putt a lot.

In the summer of 2024, Hudson scores started going next level, but it wasn't producing the real result he wanted.

I thought I was shooting these good scores, I'd email the college coaches and most people are just like, hey, we've kind of already we've narrowed down our choices.

You know, you're a little too late.

And, and it was it was really it was really hard to hear at first, but then maybe it's one of the last ones I did, and they were like, yeah, you know, we'll call you.

I was so thrilled to finally get a little bit of a breakthrough in the recruiting process, because before then I was I've so lost the contact with an assistant coach at the Naval Academy, boosted his confidence, but he still needed to seal the deal.

He won an elite tournament in Georgia with a stunning final round 66, and followed it up with another tournament when it dusted, it led to a call from Navy head coach Jimmy Stobbs.

I got a call on Monday after winning on Sunday and, that was probably one of the best, if not the best day of my life.

He's like, hey, we want you to come play for us.

And I was like, yes.

Yes.

Remarkably, Hudson still played lacrosse throughout high school and was one of the best players in the area.

But it's golf that opened the door to Navy, a significance that goes way beyond the sport.

I've had ten academy graduates in my family.

Everyone was an aviator.

I want to fly.

I'm not just, you know, want to play golf.

I want to be an officer.

I want to serve my country.