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Trevor Lawrence facilitating better relationship with teammates with golf | Gene Frenette
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- Trevor Lawrence facilitating better relationship with teammates with golf | Gene Frenette
Evan Engram didn't care much for golf the first few times he gave it a try, but the Jacksonville Jaguars ' tight end became addicted last year once he started perfecting his game while awaiting the end to a contract stalemate.
"If you want to get your golf game better, just don't go to OTAs," Engram joked. "I was grinding [on the course]."
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Quarterback Trevor Lawrence is also among a growing contingent of Jaguars who have gotten hooked on a game that can exasperate all levels of players. But the primary benefit they seek from chasing the white ball around, aside from lower scores, is a bonding experience they believe can elevate this team on the football field.
Not surprisingly, Lawrence has become a ringleader of sorts in this endeavor by facilitating golf outings with teammates, quite often at the Ponte Vedra Inn & Club where he and receiver Christian Kirk are members.
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Quarterback Trevor Lawrence (fourth from left) and his Jacksonville Jaguars’ teammates before boarding a private jet in May to take them to a golf outing at the exclusive Sage Valley Golf Club in South Carolina.
It's not uncommon for Lawrence and his favorite target to play two, three or four times a week during the Jaguars' down time. Their wives, Marissa and Ozzy, respectively, are also close friends.
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But No. 16 welcomes the prospect of as many teammates as possible joining him for a round of golf and camaraderie. Lawrence wants connections that go beyond just slinging passes to intended targets on Sunday.
Golf, regardless of handicap, is one of those hobbies that can foster an esprit de corps. It's a way for the Jaguars to have fun outside work and maybe provide an edge in game situations.
"You're on a golf cart with somebody for four or four-and-a-half hours, so there's a range of things you can talk about," Kirk said. "Just life in general, something you may have gone through the day before, last week, that may come up in conversation. Dealing with your family, marriage, friendships, teammates, whatever the case may be. Just kind of navigating through life.
"I think that's mainly what me and Trevor get out there, knowing each other on a deeper level than just teammates. Now we're like best friends."
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Engram, who has never been happier in his seven-year NFL life after signing a $41.25 million contract last July, loves what golf does for his outlook.
"It's a crazy dynamic that disconnects you from time for me," he said. "I enjoy being in my own little world when I'm out there playing."
From left: Evan Engram, Trevor Lawrence, Gabe Davis and Christian Kirk at the 50th anniversary of The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach in March 2024.
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Private jets + private course = fun
Entering his fourth NFL season, Lawrence has been on board with building team unity because he knows the leadership component of any team starts with the quarterback.
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Two years ago, he footed the hotel bill for him and several skill position players to have a working vacation in the Bahamas, which included a little golf.
Lawrence, who didn't take up the sport until his sophomore year at Clemson, now plays a lot of golf. Thanks to a +15 points showing in the final round of the American Century Championship in Lake Tahoe last month, he's down to about a 9-handicap and broke 80 twice this offseason.
For pure golf enjoyment, Lawrence and Kirk decided to step it up a notch in May when the team organized its second "Jags Major" tournament over a three-day period.
Instead of playing just local courses in Atlantic Beach and Ponte Vedra Beach this time, Lawrence arranged for about a dozen Jaguars to play the final round at the exclusive Sage Valley Golf Club in South Carolina, located 17 miles east of Augusta National, home of the Masters.
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Lawrence didn't need to spring for a hotel bill because he and Kirk arranged to have two private jets waiting for the players at Jacksonville's Craig Airport, taking off at 7 a.m. and returning them home around 5 p.m.
"We got the word two or three days before that we're playing a course in South Carolina near Augusta, and I was like, 'How we going to get there?'" said offensive lineman Blake Hance. "That was pretty special. Some very generous teammates were kind enough to front that.
"Good team bonding, we came back and went to the George Strait concert the same night [at EverBank Stadium]."
The Jaguars went off in pairs with a Sage Valley member, as required, and a caddie to carry their bags. Every attempt was made to pair the players by handicap to promote a competitive tournament, with the lowest combined score for a two-man team over three days taking home a cash prize.
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"It wasn't a crazy pot, but it was a nice one," said Engram.
Nobody seemed to mind that Lawrence, whose agent was five weeks away from completing a $275 million contract extension, and his playing partner, Hance, won that nice pot.
After all, it's hard to nit-pick about the richest Jaguar winning some cash from his teammates when he jets them to an exclusive private course, which happens to have some scenic elements resembling Augusta.
"It was a great bonding experience, playing a prestigious course like that," Engram said. "There was no golf cart path. We all had our own caddy. It was really cool.
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"That's just one weekend. Every time we get out there together, it's awesome. We can be hacking the course up and playing horribly, but we're still having a great time."
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence, seen teeing off in the first round of the American Century Championship in Lake Tahoe last month, only recently got his golf handicap into single digits after taking up the game in his sophomore year at Clemson. He used his connections to get a dozen members of the team to play a round of golf at Sage Valley in South Carolina during OTAs.
Trevor: building relationships matter
Lawrence's connection with Kirk obviously goes beyond the numbers — 141 receptions, 1,895 yards and 11 touchdowns — produced over two seasons together.
They have found common ground in being young married men that happen to love golf, with wives as bonded as their husbands.
It was only natural for Lawrence to seize an opportunity to extend his relationship with Kirk beyond football. Now being the NFL's highest-paid quarterback, Lawrence knows it's time for the Jaguars to start winning consistently, so why not look for an edge by building a greater rapport with teammates off the field?
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"Obviously, me and [Kirk] and Marissa and Ozzy, his wife, we're all close," said Lawrence. "I think that helps. When you know someone and you can address them in a certain way just because you really know each other and you're friends. It's not just, 'You're my teammate and we work together and that's it.' It goes beyond that.
"It's not just Christian. ... but there's other guys, too, where I feel like this offseason, we've really taken more time to go play golf or hang out or do whatever. ...
"To have relationships with them outside of this building only helps when you come to work and when you have to sacrifice, and you've got to dig deep for the guy next to you. I think that stuff really does matter."
Lawrence may only be 24, but his maturity level is that of a quarterback who's been in the league for a decade. Whether it's through golf or another avenue, Lawrence goes the extra mile to build team unity.
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But will that provide an edge to transform the Jaguars into a consistent winning franchise and a Super Bowl contender in 2024?
Golf bonding aside, Trevor Lawrence knows deep down that stuff is what really does matter.
Gfrenette@jacksonville.com : (904) 359-4540; Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @genefrenette
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Trevor Lawrence forges connection with Jaguars' receivers through golf
