Putt Craft fields are improving, here’s proof

by Reid Nelson & Erik Haselius

On December 4th 2021, 27 players tee’d off at Putt Craft’s first event at the Golf Zone in Chaska Minnesota. Of those 27, Shawn Brown led all players with six aces.

In March of this year, also at the Golf Zone, Matt Roalstad set a Putt Craft record with 10 aces in an event, a number nearly matched earlier this month by Tom Loftus and Kameron Haselius who each had nine. 

Here’s a list of all the players who have tallied six or more aces at each of the eight Putt Craft events at the Golf Zone.

Event 1

Shawn Brown : 6

Event 2

Matt Roalstad : 7

Matt Weimann : 7

Event 3

Shawn Brown : 6

Matt Roalstad : 6

Event 4

Zack Haselius : 8

Dan Westley : 8

Shawn Brown : 7

Jeff Woodfill : 6

Event 5

Matt Roalstad : 7

Zack Haselius : 6

Jeff Woodfull : 6

Event 6

Matt Roalstad : 10

Erik Haselius : 7

Zack Haselius : 6

Event 7

Erik Haselius : 8

Kaden Haselius : 7

Kameron Haselius : 7

Anthony Dunkel : 6

Matt Roalstad : 6

Mike Pendleton : 6

Zack Haselius : 6

Event 8

Kameron Haselius : 9

Tom Loftus : 9

Kaden Haselius : 8

Shawn Brown : 7

Erik Haselius : 6

Anthony Dunkel : 6

Matt Roalstad : 6

So which is it? Improving players, improving fields or a combination of both. Or are they the same thing… I guess technically they are.

How about improving strategy?

Up until the Fall Classic, hole #7 was un-aceable. In 248 attempts not a single tee shot fell, but that day, two did. 

Why? A new strategy was not only unveiled but mastered one handed. Not because Shawn Brown felt like showing off but instead because his left handed stance made a one handed shot a necessity.  

With the framework in place, hole #7 will see more and more aces. Expect to see a dozen or so over the next 248 attempts, a far cry from the zero of the first 248.

But does that mean the players have improved? Well we know the strategy has and in Putt Craft, that can oftentimes matter just as much or more.

Who are we kidding, yes, the players have improved.

Back to our first event at the Golf Zone, the one in December of 2021. Matt Roalstad’s -5 placed him in fifth place. A -5 earlier this month would have been good for a tie for 10th. 

Oh and Matt Roalstad, he’s the reigning ‘Player of the Year’ now with 21 top-five finishes and 7 tournament wins under his belt.

Yes, the fields are better.

Yes, the players are better.

Yes, the strategy is better.

All three are true and we are only just getting started.