RACINE — Rain, sleet, and snow. That's not typical golfing weather, but for a father-son duo it's become par for the course as they work towards an impressive golfing streak.
Scott Dresen and his father, Doug, have been golfing once a month, every month, for 90 consecutive months. So the early morning rain that Scott and Doug faced Wednesday morning in Racine didn't bother them.
“Weather doesn’t much matter. It’s just kind of more about getting out here and playing," Scott said.
The streak started in April 2016. Scott takes photos and posts them online to keep track of their progress. Since then, the two have traveled all over the state to keep the streak alive. Only once did the streak nearly end. A thick layer of winter snow wasn't melting. So, they reached out to their online community they had cultivated. The golf media company Golficity saw the post, shared it, and a man with a connection to CNC Links in Manitowoc helped them get on the course. They just barely kept the streak alive by playing that round on February 27th.
"Some of the fairways were fairly clear, and some of the greens were kind of cleared off, but if you went left or right near the woods, you were walking in almost knee-high snow," Doug said.
The duo has adapted to playing in different climates. They bring a cordless power drill with them to drill holes in the ground to be able to place their tees. Regardless of the conditions, they make sure they play at least 9 holes to make it count towards the streak.
"We are playing legitimate rounds of golf in the middle of winter. Score doesn’t really much matter at that time," Scott said.
While preserving the streak is fun, it represents so much more than just how many times the two play golf.
"It's definitely special times. And life's way too short, so you gotta take advantage of when you got it. So to do this with him, it's a wonderful thing," Scott said.
It’s deliberate bonding time - making memories worth more than the cost of all those lost balls and rounds of golf combined.
“We love the father-son time together," Doug said.
That's why they up the amount they golf considerably once winter ends. They want to spend as much time together as possible.
"In the summer months we'll play 4,5,6 times a month, " Scott said.
Scott also posts the photos from each month to encourage others to set aside time as he does with his dad.
“Basically, I hope it brings more people together. More father-sons get out on the golf course. Go bowling. Do whatever. Go for a hike. Something," Scott said.
While the two keep track of their score, that doesn't really matter. It's all about time well spent with the ones you love.
“I’m just lucky enough that I’ve had a lot of years on the golf course with my dad.”
In July 2024, they hope to have a big celebration at their home course, Johnson Park Golf Course in Racine, in honor of 100 consecutive months of golfing. Before the streak started, that's where they played a majority of their golf.
"We play out here every Sunday 8:24 in the morning, and we’ve probably had that for over 25 years. I bet that's pushing 30 years," Scott said.
However, the streak will go way past 100 months.
"My old knees hold up - another 10 years," Doug said.
This streak represents the bond between a father and son. It’s going to take a lot more than rain, sleet, and snow to break that bond.
