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Baton Rouge, LA — The Louisiana Golf Association is proud to spotlight Redfield Bryan, an 88-year-old retired urologist, LSU baseball alum, and longtime member of Baton Rouge Country Club, whose commitment to health, fitness, and competition has kept him at the heart of the game for decades. Between early-morning tee times, twice-weekly workouts, and short-game practice, Bryan plays two to four rounds a week and still posts numbers that turn heads.
“I’ve been blessed with health, good friends, and a game I love,” Bryan said. “Golf lets you compete as much as you want, for as long as you want. You can chase scores, you can chase improvement, or you can just enjoy a walk with your buddies.”
Before medicine and golf became his primary focus, Bryan made his mark on the diamond at LSU. He played shortstop and second base under the Didier brothers—Melvin, his high school coach, and Raymond, who led the Tigers. “I had a referral from Melvin to LSU to play at LSU,” Bryan recalled. “I led the team in stolen bases and had an LSU record for stolen bases for a number of years until they went to the bigger game schedule. I also led the conference in total bases that year.” That competitive spirit, shaped by disciplined coaching, carried with him into every chapter of life. “Some people say that I’m very competitive. I like to compete. And there’s a lot of ways to compete. You can compete against other people in playing and trying to win. You can compete against yourself and compete against your score and lowering your handicap.”
For Bryan, the foundation of his golf longevity is health and fitness. “It’s God-given health, the ability to continue to play at a decent level. The older you get, the more important health is than ability,” he said. Fifteen years ago, he had a hip replacement, and just three years ago he underwent a cervical neck fusion. With the help of trainers like Corey Couture, LSU’s golf trainer, Bryan rebuilt strength and flexibility that allow him to play pain-free today. “Through going to these trainers it allows me to continue to play a halfway decent game,” he said. “I played today and I shot 74 today.”
That work ethic shows up in more ways than his scores. Bryan has recorded 11 career holes-in-one, including four in just the past four months. “Let me begin by saying they’re all luck,” he laughed. “It’s almost like the more you hit, the more you play, the more holes you play, the better chance you have.”
The first came on April 23, when Bryan knocked a gap wedge from 85 yards over water into the cup. Exactly three months later, on July 23, he holed out from 104 yards on BRCC’s par-3 8th. Then in late August, he did the unthinkable—back-to-back aces on consecutive days, on the same hole. Both were from 101 yards with a pitching wedge. “The next day, the same pin, same deal, 101 yards. I hit a ball and one. The ball mark is a yard in front of the hole, and on the first bounce it just went right in,” Bryan said. “Somebody told me to make a hole-in-one is somewhere around one in 1,200 tries. To make back-to-back hole-in-ones, it’s one in one and a half million. And to make four…it’s crazy.”
His favorite hole? No surprise. “It’s got to be number eight. I’ve had four hole-in-ones on that hole,” he said. “It’s a testy hole because of the water on the left and a large ridge that runs through the center of the green.”
Bryan’s practice routine reflects a lifetime of preparation. “Before I play, I putt for 10 to 15 minutes and I hit my 52, 56, 60-degree wedges. I have a routine of how I play them, how many times I hit them for maybe 20 or 25 minutes, and then I hit hybrids for 10 to 15 minutes and I’ll hit a few fairway woods and three or four drivers,” he explained. “So 90% of what I’m doing is inside of 50 to 70 yards. If you can’t do that, you can’t score.”
His favorite scoring tools are his crisp wedges and trusty 7-hybrid, which he can hit 120–145 yards. On a recent round, he hit 14 greens and signed for 74.
Bryan also encourages older golfers to be realistic about yardages. After decades playing the white and purple tees, he now embraces the golds. “Moving up opened a new world,” he said. “I’m hitting more greens, I’ve got more wedges in, and I’m having more fun. If you’re losing distance, move up. You’ll score better and enjoy the game more.”
Beyond the numbers, it’s the community that keeps him coming back. Living just around the corner, he calls BRCC his backyard. “The camaraderie and the friendship of everybody—it keeps you young,” he said. “You work out, you play, you talk a little noise. It’s good for the body and the mind.”
As for the future of the game, Bryan sees both tradition and innovation. “I think golf is going to undergo a lot more technical things. Night golf is already very popular in places like South Korea, and I think that’s something we may see more of here,” he said. “Simulators are also becoming bigger and better, letting you play famous courses from around the world without leaving your city. But the other thing that I see is that there are a lot more young people wanting to play now. That’s really exciting for the game.”
And when asked what advice he’d pass on, Bryan keeps it simple: “There’s nothing in the world greater than having a good up and down game. You’re not going to hit every green. The more time you spend on the short game and the more time you spend on putting, the better player everybody’s going to be.”
From stolen bases at LSU to four aces in four months, Redfield Bryan has lived a life shaped by competition, preparation, and joy in the game. For him, golf is more than a pastime—it’s proof that with health, discipline, and a little luck, the game can be played, and loved, for a lifetime.
Redfield’s Recent Aces (as told by Redfield):
- April 23 – BRCC, par 3 over water, ~85 yards, gap wedge, “bounced twice and went in.”
- July 23 – BRCC No. 8, ~104 yards, wedge.
- Aug. 26 – BRCC No. 8, ~101 yards, pitching wedge, “it went in on the fly.”
- Aug. 27 – BRCC No. 8, ~101 yards, pitching wedge, “the ball mark is a yard in front of the hole, and on the first bounce it just went right in.”
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About the LGA
The Louisiana Golf Association (LGA) is a mission-driven organization dedicated to unifying the golf community across Louisiana. Since its inception in 1920, the LGA has expanded its scope to offer a variety of championships, including the Junior Amateur Championship and the Louisiana Junior Golf Tour. The LGA is committed to providing exceptional services in Championship Administration, USGA Handicap System oversight, and Rules of Golf authority, ensuring fair play and integrity throughout the state.
The LGA supports golfers of all levels through its Course Measuring and Rating services, comprehensive tournament management, and educational seminars on the Rules of Golf and Amateur Status. By partnering with entities like the Audubon Golf Trail and Gulf States PGA, the LGA fosters growth and inclusivity in the sport.
As the authoritative body for amateur golf in Louisiana, the LGA maintains the WHS Handicap Index, crucial for assessing individual performance, and continues to uphold the game’s traditions and values. For more information, visit LGA.org or contact us at 337-265-3938.
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