Jackson Commits to Rutgers

By Joe McDonald
RIGA Senior Writer

PROVIDENCE – When Max Jackson wasn’t working on his golf game this winter, he enjoyed watching the Netflix docuseries “Full Swing” that featured a behind-the-scenes look into the life and careers of professional golfers.

Meanwhile, he was in the midst of his own reality show.

Jackson, 17, of Cumberland, is a junior at La Salle Academy and spent plenty of time speaking with college golf coaches, and visiting different schools, while trying to figure out his future. A two-time Rhode Island Golf Association Junior Amateur champion, and two-time Rhode Island Interscholastic League champion, Jackson finally made his decision and verbally committed to Rutgers University.

“It’s a nice weight lifted off the shoulders,” he said of his decision to play golf for the Scarlet Knights. “I’m super pumped. Committing to a Division I school has been a goal of mine ever since I started playing junior golf. Rutgers checked all the boxes. Coach (Rob) Shutte and Coach (Ryan) Rose are the coolest guys I have ever met, so once I built that bond with them there was really no reason not to go there. They had everything I wanted. The school’s great. The guys are great, and the coaches are unbelievable. I just feel like I’m in really good hands. I feel like my game’s only going to get better under their watch.”

Jackson was interested in a few schools, including Notre Dame where fellow Pawtucket Country Club member Andrew O’Leary is a star golfer. However, after the Jacksons visited Rutgers, became acquainted with the program and its facilities, the decision was easy. In fact, he watched closely as Rutgers defeated Notre Dame last weekend at the Sea Island Shootout in Sea Island, Ga.

After the tournament, the coaching staff conducted a Zoom call with the Jacksons and asked Max for his thoughts. At that point, Jackson unzipped his hoodie to reveal his new Rutgers T-shirt underneath. Everyone was excited, according to Jackson’s father, Gregg.

“It wasn’t like he had a poster on his wall where he wanted to go to college,” Gregg Jackson said. “Rutgers came into the fold and we fell in love with the coaches. They’re such great guys and they made him feel like he belongs there. It honestly came down to coaching. As a dad, (Shutte) is the guy I want my kid to go get coached by, because he’s just a sweetheart of a man. Coach Shutte made this experience phenomenal. Max is in good hands.”

Now that he’s made his decision, Max understands he can focus on developing his game for the next level. Since he’s only a junior he’ll continue to play in all the available tournaments through his senior year at La Salle.

“It’s less about the results and more about just playing and enjoying it,” he said. “I can now focus on getting better and preparing myself for coaching and not worrying about the scores and impressing people. I can play my own game.”

The idea that golfers from the south, or out west have an advantage because they can play year-round due to the weather is no longer the case. Technology and indoor facilities keep golfers from the Northeast in tune with their game during the winter months. Since it’s been a mild winter in Rhode Island, Pawtucket Country Club, which is Jackson’s home course remained open, along with using the simulator at Rhode Island Indoor Golf in Rumford. He also has a putting green in his basement. He explained that producing stats on TrackMan this winter has been key and has worked with Jimmy Jones from Lake of Isles in North Stonington, Conn.

“All those things have helped my game a lot this winter,” Jackson said. “I was in that same kind of mindset and was looking for a school out west, or down south, because I thought it was such a big advantage. After seeing the Rutgers facility, I can do just as much there as I would anywhere else. My game’s going to get better, I just need to put the time in. If you put the work in, whether it’s at an outdoor facility, or an indoor simulator you’re going to get good results. The idea of going south, or out west for college, I realized it’s not really about that, it’s about your heart and how hard you’re willing to work.”

Now his focus is defending his RIGA and RIIL titles.