WOODBURY – For an unknowing observer standing on the fairway, their swings are almost indistinguishable. Both Jack Nettleton and Evan Jones possess a golf swing that’s both consistent and powerful–and even more important, a swing that’s the envy of everyone in the Berkshire League. 

“You know I really love the way  Jack and Evan play the game of golf,” says Robert Metcalfe, an NHS junior, who just finished his first season on the golf team. “It starts on the tee box with a beautiful stroke off the tee, always landing dead center of the fairway, but it doesn’t just stop there. Both of their short game and putting is an absolute egregious masterpiece of theirs really bringing their scores under par almost every hole. I’m so glad I get  to play golf with them because I can learn a lot from them and be like them one day”. 

When you think of dominant duos you may think Jordan and Pippen, Kobe and Shaq, or maybe even Spongebob and Patrick. But what you should be thinking of is the Nonnewaug golf duo of Jack Nettleton and Evan Jones. 

For both Nettleton and Jones, these swings and collective golf games didn’t happen by accident. Both are relentless in their development and pursuit of their passion. 

Evan’s is a great player who plays a lot and seeing how good his short game is pushes me to get better and try to replicate what he’s doing”, says junior Jack Nettelton, NHS who is designated as the golf team’s number two golfer. “He’s a great guy who’s always bringing a positive attitude which leads to both of us playing well and having fun. Me and Evan being one and two means we play together in matches, having a close friend and good teammate just makes the game easier and pushes me which I think is why I had my best season at NHS yet, my best score last year was a 42 and this year it was a 39 which I’m very proud of because it goes to show how much I’ve progressed over just a year.”

For Jones, His friendship with Nettleton is something that comes organically. 

 “We’re both close friends and since we play together in matches I don’t really feel pressure because it’s just like playing a round with my friend, it comes naturally because of how comfortable we are playing together,” says Jones who is entering his junior season at Nonnewaug and will return as the team’s captain this spring. “When me and Jack play together whether it be in matches or practice, if one of us is not playing well or feeling down, we try our best to push each other to keep our heads in the game and keep pushing and trying our bests because you never know when a round of golf can turn around and flip completely at any moment.”

Coach Ryan Campanario, who has worked with the duo for multiple seasons, sees the practice and training the duo put forward has been evident on the course. 

“I would have to say the amount of golf they( Jones and Nettleton) play and all the time and effort they put into being successful has a direct correlation on their abilities, they both also understand the ins and outs of and fundamentals of the golf swing,” says Campanario, one of NHS’ Wellness instructors and longtime golf coach. “To do that you need to understand all aspects of the sport and the six inches in between your ears. Golf’s tough because you’re not always together as a team but I think Evan and Jack leading by example trickles down to the other players as to what the expectations are. I can’t be with everyone all the time so it’s nice to have two leaders on the team.”

“Being a leader on the team makes it so we have more responsibility,” said Jones. “I think both me and Jack embraced that role this year being the top two on the team which helped younger and newer players progress and allowed us to play very well.” 

The leadership displayed by Jones and Nettleton is evident to their teammates. 

“Jack being very tall allows him to be able to put a lot of leverage into his swing which allows him to hit the ball very far and accurately which is impressive to watch,” says junior Owen Fitzgerald, a three-year golfer on NHS’ team. “Evan plays a lot of golf and his work ethic is outstanding and he’s always pushing to get better. It’s funny both Jack and Evan will hit a shot that I would dream of hitting and not be happy, which just goes to show how talented they are and how serious they take the sport.” 

“In golf everyone strives for perfection,” says Jones. “Golf is just a constant grind of striving to make your game as close to perfect as possible and that’s what the pros have done the best: Not make their game perfect, but strive harder and work harder to get as close as they can to it.”