Teenager Breaks 61-year-old Course Record with a 61
By Tom Lang
The course record 62 at the Country Club of Lansing haunted members almost every day for over six decades as they tried unsuccessfully to best it.
Drew Miller, a soon-to-be senior at East Lansing High School, simply made it a goal on his list.
Check.
On June 3, Miller shot 11-under par 61 from the tips at 6855 yards. The previous record of 62 was set by Bud Reniger in 1962 from the now blue tees. Reniger had an outstanding amateur career that included winning the high school state championship in 1941 at Lansing Eastern, winning the Lansing All-City Championship at least 4 times (some results records were lost) – with numerous other triumphs like 13 CC of Lansing club championships.
“The course record was a goal that I had,” Miller told me. “I like the fact more that it was a check off my goals’ list. And it’s hard for me to wrap my head around it more (than that), like these other guys, including my dad, grew up there … and they see the record every day they go out there. Me, I knew it was there, but it wasn’t something I always looked at,” adding that it wasn’t ingrained into his head like it is others. “And that might have helped.”
Miller’s feat was witnessed by his father, Kevin, plus CC of Lansing members David Brownback, a very accomplished golfer who has played in USGA events, and Jerome Abood. Brownback, coincidentally, held the previous record from the tips at 63. Miller said Brownback was happy to witness his record being broken.
Miller made seven birdies on the front nine, and six on the back, for a 30-31-61. If not for two bogeys, one each on par 3s, he would have shot 59 or better. Miller said he had a four-footer on the par 3, 17th hole for par, and it lipped out. Then he got up and down for par from 60 yards out in the fairway on 18. Prior to that, he missed an eagle putt that lipped out on 15, to settle for birdie.
“So, a 59 was right there, for sure.
“I really didn’t hit it out of position off the tee, and I was hitting (my approaches) inside of 6 feet,” Miller said, adding that he didn’t make any putt longer than 12 feet, but he did hole out a bunker shot on the par 3, 4th hole for birdie, then noting that he played the par 3s at 1-over par.
“A lot of people were surprised. They hear 61 and they kind of had to ask twice,” Miller said. “It hadn’t been broken for so long that nobody really believes it when they first hear it.”
Miller committed to playing golf at Michigan State. He plans to graduate from East Lansing this winter, then work on some community college credits while playing golf down south before becoming a Spartan in the fall of 2024.
