I had the absolute privilege of being at Pebble Creek Golf Course in Becker this past week to cover the State Class A golf tournament for KLQP. I have to tell you, this is hands-down one of my favorite high school sporting events of the entire year, and Pebble Creek is just the perfect stage for it.
While I was driving my golf cart around the course, a parent stopped me and asked how long I’ve been coming out here to cover state golf. I did the math in my head and figured this was my 15th year. It turns out Pebble Creek and Class A golf go together like tournament days and sunburns; the venue has hosted 18 consecutive tournaments since the MSHSL moved to a three-class system back in 2008. The only miss was 2020, for reasons we’d all like to forget.
Last Tuesday and Wednesday, I kept myself busy doing over 20 interviews with our local state participants. We have some incredibly talented young golfers in our area, and talking to them is always the best part of my job. But during those two days, I stumbled into a brand-new discovery: I might actually be a pretty decent photographer!
Some of the pictures I took surprised even me. I’d look at the screen and think, “Wow, Paul, that is actually amazing.” It turns out I might have a little bit of a knack for framing a shot—or, more likely, I just got incredibly lucky to be in the right place at the right time.
Now, full disclosure: I don’t own a big, fancy, expensive camera. My “studio equipment” is just my trusty cell phone. But as they say, it’s not the tool, it’s the guy pressing the button! I wanted to share a few of my favorite shots from the tournament and the stories that made them special.
1. The View from the 9th Hole
I was stationed at Hole 9, watching Dawson-Boyd’s Claire Stratmoen play her way down the fairway toward the green. Just then, her parents, Laurel and Keith, sat down right in front of me. Immediately, a picture popped into my head: the ultimate shot of proud parents cheering on their daughter. I quickly started a video on my phone while snapping photos at the exact same time. The result? Pure magic.
2. The Photobombing Fist Pump
The Stratmoens actually accomplished the incredible feat of having all three of their kids golfing at state this year—which is just phenomenal. Another favorite shot of mine featured Chloe Stratmoen, who just finished the 7th grade. She had just wrapped up her round on 18 and was pushing her golf cart toward me. I was snapping photos of her, when all of a sudden her mom rushed up past me and threw a proud fist pump at her daughter. I caught the shot at the exact microsecond her mom’s arm entered the frame. It made me laugh out loud when I saw it later. It perfectly captured the raw energy of a proud sports mom!
3. Love, Tears, and a Three-Peat
I was lucky enough to capture a couple of great moments celebrating another state championship with the Dawson-Boyd Blackjacks—their third straight! But my favorite picture isn’t of a trophy. After the girls were given their medals and plaque, Head Coach Cory Larson went down the line to give each girl a congratulatory hug. Assistant Coach Darla Swedzinski was last in line, and when she and Cory embraced, it was such an emotional, beautiful moment. I happened to be standing in the perfect spot to capture it. If you know this team, the players, and the coaches, you know they are a family who deeply care about each other. That picture showed the true heart of the tournament and this team.
4. A Special Goodbye (For Now)
Another incredibly special picture for me was with senior Alyssa Swedzinski. Alyssa walked right over to me and said, “Paul, let’s take a pic with three fingers up!” So we did. Looking at that photo later and seeing the absolute joy on her face just warmed my heart. Alyssa is a very special person—so kind, so grounded, and we’ve done so many interviews together over her fantastic athletic career. She is going to be deeply missed next year, but you can bet I will be following her collegiate career closely at SMSU!
5. The Legendary Team Selfie
I guess I’ve developed a bit of a reputation for taking selfies, because a parent suggested I grab one with the whole team holding the championship plaque. The girls gathered around, and Alyssa and Laura insisted I hold up three fingers with them. It took us a few takes to get it right (hey, selfie-taking is a science!), but it turned out wonderful. It actually brought back great memories of doing the exact same pose with the LQPV boys and girls teams when they won state a few years back.
6. Small World Connections & Big Smiles
The tournament is full of great connections. I got a text from a friend telling me her brother-in-law was Blayze Hulzebos from Minneota, she wanted me to track him down to make sure I got an interview and a photo with him. Done and done!
And then there was Dawson-Boyd 9th grader Myiah Bothun, who sweetly asked if she could get a picture with me. I told her, “Only if you hold up that medal!” She flashed a massive smile, and it was a great reminder of just how much of a thrill it is for these kids to compete at this level. You have to just soak in every second of the moment. Love that picture.
My Second Calling?
When I finally got home and scrolled through my camera roll, a thought popped into my head. Now look, I’m no Brian Jeremiason… but these pictures are really good!
After I posted them online, I started reading the comments from folks saying how much they loved the shots, and I thought, “Man, maybe I missed my calling!”
But hey, look at the bright side: now I have an official game plan for the future. When the day comes that I finally enter retirement, I can buy myself a fancy camera, call myself a professional photographer, and keep hitting the courses. Until then, I’ll keep rocking the cell phone!
Congratulations to all our local golfers—you made our area incredibly proud this week!
Raymo's Ramblings 