After turning age 65 in January 2024, Orinda resident Randy Haag had the option of competing in Super Senior events.
He’d decide to continue competing as a Senior, and the beat just kept on going.
The longtime Olympic Club member won his third straight NCGA Senior Player of the Year title and record-tying fifth overall crown, finishing the season with 2,200 points. Mike Stieler was second with 1,333 points.
For Haag, the title marked his 11th total NCGA Player of the Year title. He won a still-standing NCGA record six “regular” (age 55-under) titles in a span from 1993-2011, his last coming at the age of 52. His other Senior titles came in 2017, ’19, ’22 and ’23.
During the 2023-24 NCGA season, Haag again was simply stellar. He won seven times in 12 starts, including the NCGA Senior Triple Crown—Senior Four-Ball with partner Chip Lutz, the Senior Amateur Match Play and the Senior Championship.
Other big wins came at the San Francisco City Senior and the Alameda Commuters Senior. Haag also reached the Round of 32 at the U.S. Senior Amateur.
“I can’t really remember having a better season, except maybe when I won Player of the Year in 2009 at 50. That year I went to the semifinals of the California Amateur and NCGA Amateur and won the Stocker Cup,” Haag said. “This last season is certainly up there.”
Haag, who finished the season as the No.4 ranked over-50 amateur in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, attributes his ageless success to three big recent changes---his putting style, his equipment and his lifestyle.
Once renowned for this side-saddle putting, Haag now putts broomstick style. “It’s given me much more confidence on the greens,” he says. “Now I’m making the 3-4 footers that I wasn’t before.”
As for his clubs, he’s now using a set that was gifted to him from his best friend. The result there? He’s hitting his 7-iron 180 yards.
Finally, Haag started Pilates workouts, which combine mind-body exercises.
“The Pilates has been a tremendous help. I got addicted to it,” Haag said. “Before, my body didn’t work so well on the back-nine.”