Whether you’re a weekend hobbyist or a seasoned golfer, the drama never stops. Golf and the spicy urge to dominate are just two sides of the same coin. Even if it’s just a 10 or 12-year-old tween hopeful. Turns out, the toughest match of a PGA Tour pro’s life didn’t happen under Sunday pressure or in a playoff. It happened when he was barely a tween. It went down in a family club championship. In a house where lacrosse sticks doubled as decor, chaos was the norm, and competition ran through the blood. And when you grow up talking smack to a multi-sport state champ “Dad”—well, let’s just say humility comes fast.
That fiery household belonged to none other than PGA Tour pro Chris Gotterup. In a recent 5Clubs interview, Gotterup opened up about growing up in a family where talks over dinner were more sports than stories. His dad, Morten Gotterup, a multi-time NJSGA champ, brought that same intensity to weekend family showdowns. For Chris and his sister, their dad was not just a role model but an opponent to beat. No doubt, Gotterup’s earliest masterclasses began right there as he competed against his dad.
The father-son duo squared off against each other in the club championships at Rumson Country Club. “I don’t remember exactly when it happened,” he admitted, “but I remember we played each other in the club championship, and he beat me the first time.” Well, how did the matches exactly look? The interviewer teased the same, “Was it civilized? Did it get a little chippy?” Gotterup grinned, explaining, “I was still young enough to where it was civilized. He actually—I remember—he was like upset that he beat me the first time.” But as Chris got older and leaned into the classic father-son trash talk, things started to heat up. “Once I started getting older and could talk some smack—and I probably bothered him—then he really wanted to beat me.”
Their back-and-forth battles even became something of a spectacle at the club. “We definitely went back and forth,” he said. “I think we played two or three times in the club championship, and the club liked it too, because they knew we’d go back and forth with each other on the golf course.” Gotterup and his dad’s weekend battles made them the iconic duo that they are. And trash talk was the cherry on top.
Chris Gotterup’s childhood made him invincible
Chris Gotterup’s upbringing in a competition-driven family is evident in his stellar performances on the course. It doesn’t matter whether it’s the quiet Rumson Country Club or bustling big stages, Gotterup has taken after his father. For Gotterup, failing is not an option. And his electric 2025 season has made him a name that is hard to ignore.
Chris Gotterup delivered a career-defining performance at the Genesis Scottish Open. He outlasted Rory McIlroy and Marco Penge to claim his first Rolex Series title. Gotterup fired a 4-under 66 on Sunday to finish at 15-under. The former Rutgers standout showed nerves of steel down the stretch. He sealed the win with clutch birdies and creative shot-making on the windy links of North Berwick.
Gotterup’s win at the Scottish Open, however, wasn’t the only standout performance. He finished T3 at the Open after a stellar show and finished T10 at the Wyndham Championship earlier this month. With two PGA Tour wins under his belt and a fearless game to match, Gotterup is no longer just a rising star—he’s a serious threat on golf’s biggest stages.
The post PGA Tour Pro Reveals Why His Dad ‘Beat’ Him When He Was Young appeared first on EssentiallySports.