Class 6A has some deep and talented boys golf teams. The competition is steep for Riverton, which finished outside the top 11 last season. However, the Silverwolves boast one of the top individual performers in the state: Jaxon Erickson. 

Erickson placed third individually at the 6A tournament a year ago, shooting a two-day 140. He finished at 2 under par, just five shots behind the winner and three shots behind the runner-up. He was a First-Team All-State performer in 2023. 

And he still has another year to play after this season. 

Currently, Erickson is ranked 92 in the nation among juniors, according to Junior Golf Scoreboard. He placed third this year in the Utah Junior Golf Association in the 15- to 18-year-old division. His ascent began a decade ago when he first picked up clubs and played competitively, though he can trace the beginnings of his golf career to a time much earlier. 

“I started playing golf when I was 2 years old in the backyard with plastic golf clubs,” he said. “I had my first real clubs (only a wedge and putter) when I was 3, and my dad and I would go to Glenmoor Golf Course and chip and putt for hours.  He would say, ‘I’ll buy you a Slurpee if you chip in.’ I started chipping it in the hole every time we would practice, so he stopped betting a Slurpee moving forward.”

It was 10 years ago when Erickson started playing in tournaments. This past summer, he represented the state in the Border War, a matchup between top high school-aged golfers from Utah and Nevada. He also qualified for the Junior World Championships in Torrey Pines, California, in July. Erickson recently qualified for and played in the National High School Invitational at PGA Frisco in Frisco, Texas. At that event, he placed 25th out of 308 golfers, shooting 70, 74 and 71 on three different courses. 

Another big accomplishment for Erickson was when he was part of Team Utah at the Junior America’s Cup, an event that features 18 teams with four players representing each state. Erickson was ninth out of 72 players. On the final day, he shot a 67—the lowest score of the day for any player—and had nine birdies. His efforts helped Team Utah place third in the prestigious tournament. 

Playing in tournaments across the state and country has exposed Erickson to talented golfers. He has also been able to meet new friends and enjoy doing something he loves. 

“I love to play golf competitively against the top golfers,” Erickson said. “I’ve met so many of my friends at the golf course.  When I don’t play in tournaments, I like to play golf with my friends and practice while on the course.”

At Riverton, Erickson is a team leader where he sets a good example on and off the course. He said the players have developed strong unity and camaraderie where everyone pushes each other to be at his best.

“We spend a lot of time together, practicing and playing golf,” he said. “We are all friends and enjoy competing and making each other better.  Coach Pehrson has done a great job coaching our team and focuses on developing us as golfers and people.”

Like any golfer, Erickson has some great days and some days where he may be off a little. But he prides himself in being a steady player. He has a lot of strengths, which make him a difficult player to beat on the course. His top score ever was a 64, which he has shot twice: once at Glenmoor and once at TalonsCove. 

“My chipping and wedges are the strength of my game,” he said. “I’m very consistent with my ball striking, and I hit my driver fairly straight and about 300 yards. I have worked hard and continually work hard to get better.”

With one more year remaining in high school and years beyond that he hopes to continue competing, Erickson is working hard to get even better. He spends a lot of time on improving the mental aspects of the game. 

“I’m a bit of a perfectionist in golf, so understanding that golf is difficult, and you aren’t always going to hit great shots,” he said. “So, when I am not playing well or when I hit a bad shot, I need to stay focused and remember to only think about the next shot.”

The 6A state tournament will take place Oct. 14–15 at Riverbend Golf Course in Riverton. Erickson and the Silverwolves are aiming to make the cut this season for the chance to play for the state title. It won’t be easy. Plenty of accomplished golfers will be in the way, but Erickson knows he and his teammates will give it their all. He wants to contend for an individual championship, too. 

“Our region and 6A are very difficult. And we play against great teams and some of the top junior players in the country, so we want to compete with them in the state tournament,” he said. “Last year, as a team we missed the cut by a few strokes, so it would be great for us to be competitive at state. Individually, my goal is to compete at a high level at state again and put myself in a position to make a run in the two-day tournament. There are so many good players in our region and in 6A, and everyone wants to win, so all I can do is play my own game and be prepared. As a team, we will need to keep practicing and hopefully be playing our best as we approach the end of the year. As an individual, I need to stay focused and continue to practice.”

Erickson has several more years of competitive golf in him. He intends to play golf at the next level, and he is already looking at colleges.

“I want to play golf in college and find a program that has a great coach and team and will help develop my game,” he said. “I am talking to some schools right now and will keep looking for the right fit.” λ