Relentlessly following his passion for golf Rodney (Buddy) Watson has been a player in the Golf Channel Am Tour competitive league for four straight years. This is his follow-through: “I stay focused and motivated by the promise I made to my late mother, that I would never quit playing golf. It’s now my mission and purpose in life,” says the Jersey City, N.J.-born golfer.
In his professional life, the 49-year-old, 5’10” Watson is a 20-year veteran of the Summit N.J. police force and serves there full-time as a police officer. Growing up in Somerville N.J., later on he came to greatly appreciate the numerous, well-maintained county-owned golf courses of his area.
“I was introduced to golf by co-workers while attending a work convention in Arizona,” says the divorced father of two, who today, carries a golf handicap of 9.5. The affectionate father is also passing on his passion for golf to his children.
“My daughter Gretchen, 11-years old, and my son Lincoln, age 7, both live in Costa Rica, Central America. We play golf together when I visit them on vacation. When Watson is not on the golf course with his children, he can often be found golfing with his good friend, Asian-American golf coach Mike Choi, who coaches Watson, too.
Watson graduated from Union County College in Cranford N.J. with a two-year degree in criminal justice. He is an active member of the Golf Academy at the Neshanic Valley golf course in Branchburg N.J. “I enjoy playing golf because it keeps me busy from living a boring life…I find golf interesting, exciting and satisfying,” says the inspiring PGA golf instructor.
Holding down a city job that pays well—and gives him enough time to play golf—Watson gets in 18 holes every day along with regular practice on the driving range. He particularly enjoys dressing the part and looking professional, wearing crisp, nice-fitting golf clothes while playing.
With his playing skills he has participated in numerous Golf Channel AM League tournaments and successfully won his very first tournament in April 2015, at the Fox Hollow golf course in Branchburg N.J. Jason Day is the professional golfer whom Watson admires most, “…because he has faced a lot of adversity in his life, but kept believing in himself.”
“I’m mostly self-taught in golf by reading books, magazines and watching online videos. I’m also a big fan of watching professional golf on T.V., ”admits the wide-smile fellow who claims to get many of his tips and knowledge from frequently playing with other golfers. A strict, self-disciplined individual, Watson says, “My biggest challenge in golf is improvement. Lowering my handicap is painstakingly difficult; but you get out of it, what you put in.”
His hobbies and interests all revolve around golf and he is extremely proud of his personal choice of living a healthy lifestyle and maintaining a daily exercise and workout regime. Watson believes that his body is only as strong as he makes it and he has committed to eating a healthy diet—eliminating drugs, alcohol, soda, coffee and tobacco.
Watson’s overall dream is to become a scratch (expert) golfer before he sets down his golf clubs forever. “I’ve been playing for seven years and feel I’m well on my way!”
