2022-2023 NCGA Senior Player of the Year—Randy Haag
With each passing year, Olympic Club member and NCGA Hall of Famer Randy Haag feels the effects of time.
In 2021, things got so bad the now 65-year-old had 6-inch screws inserted into a bad ankle.
But it hasn’t stopped Haag from doing what he loves—competing and winning. He’d win his second Senior Player of the Year title in a row and fourth overall, finishing the season with 2,465 points. Runner-up Mike Stieler had 1,056 points.
Combined with his NCGA Men’s Player of the Year honors, Haag has now been a Player of the Year 10 times. The only Senior to have more POY titles is Jim Knoll, who ran off a record five straight from 2011-15.
“When you get to where I am, with getting older, more surgeries, aching feet and all the rest, you have to make a decision. Do you slow down or keep pushing for more?,” Haag said. “For myself, I still have goals.”
The primary goal for Haag is to still win a national championship. He played great at last year’s U.S. Senior Amateur at Martis Camp in Truckee, but nonetheless came up short.
In other events, however, it was more of the same. Among his victories were a second straight California Senior Amateur title (2022), the San Francisco City Senior, the Alameda Commuters Senior, Monterey City, Bay Regional, the Cal State Fair Senior and the NCGA Senior Match Play Championship.
The only title missing from what could be called the NorCal sweep was the NCGA Senior.
“I approached events last season with a real purpose—I am here to win,” Haag said. “I worked hard to accomplish that.”
Among the changes the Orinda resident made were picking up Pilates, losing 15 pounds and switching from his trademark side-saddle putting method to a broomstick style (more sweeping through).
As the results show, it all worked. And against many players that were nine years younger than him.
“I’m out to play good golf, see my friends and to challenge myself,” Haag said. “I’m proud of the season that I had.”