Tyler Avery out to prove he’s the best golfer in the state

If someone’s going to beat Tyler Avery on the golf course, who better than a close friend.

That was the case last week at the Western AA Divisional in Kalispell, where Avery ended up second to Butte’s Jack Prigge, who happens to be one of his best friends.

“In two weeks I'm staying with him at his house in Butte,” Avery said. “We know each other well. So it was tough for him to beat me at my home tournament, but I beat him at his home tournament, so yeah, we're all square.”

Avery fired a 68 on the last day of the Butte Invitational earlier this month to best Prigge on his home course. The Glacier boys won the team title as well.

Avery hopes to lead Glacier to a team title and win an individual title on the tough Green Meadows Golf Course in Helena at the State AA tournament that starts today. And in the pairings released Wednesday, Prigge and Avery are in the same group.

Sixth at last year’s state tournament, Avery was eighth in 2020 and third the year before that.

“I would say certainly Tyler's one of the best players in this state and it wouldn't surprise me if he were to win this championship,” first-year Glacier coach Chris Michno said. “But if I use three words to describe him, it would be humility, intensity, and focus. He's always got a game plan for what he's working on and what he's working towards.”

Watching him now, it’s hard to believe it wasn’t that long ago that Avery considered quitting golf altogether. After his father, Jerad Avery, a guidance counselor at Glacier, died by suicide in 2019 Tyler reevaluated many things in his life, including golf.

“I was in a bad place with it,” Avery said. “Everything comes and goes and now I'm liking it. I totally think about my dad when I play and I used to see it as a bad thing, but now it's like, Yeah, he would love to see where I've come and where I'm gonna go. So it's more just like I'm doing it now for myself and not for anyone else. And that's why I think I'm playing better.”

Now he reminisces about the time he spent with his dad on and off the golf course — like the time they were traveling to a tournament in Oregon and the car’s battery died during the trip. Avery got a ride to the course with a friend and wasn’t sure when his dad would arrive.

“We start the round and all of a sudden like halfway through the day, my dad's there and he's like, ‘How's it going?’ I was like, ‘I'm playing incredible,’” Avery said. “And the rest of the day I played so well.”

Jerad was able to get a jump start and make it to the course.

“I don't know, it was just hilarious,” Avery said. “Car died, got a ride, it was a chaotic morning. And the funny thing is, yesterday I got a postcard from Subaru saying that now there's a class action lawsuit over their car batteries.”

Another memory: State golf in Great Falls during Avery’s freshman year.

“It was snowing, a blizzard and I have a video… I almost hit it in the hole on this downhill par three and it's just my mom and dad like, ‘Oh my god, I can't believe that happened.’ And they're all bundled up in ski clothes,” he recalled. “It's hilarious.”

Avery has had a successful run during his high school golf career, but this season has been a breakout year — he might be the best golfer in the state, which he hopes to prove this week in Helena. While he is quite skilled at the game, his success isn’t all due to that.

“His focus is amazing,” Michno said. “I think there's always an intent to his focus too, so he always has a game plan. And I would always consider him the first man in and the last man out. That's where I think he as a role model shines the brightest. People see that, people understand it and say, ‘Wow, okay, if I'm gonna get there, I gotta do those kinds of things.’ ”

There’s been a great deal of hard work put in behind the scenes. Avery arrives early to each practice, even before the coaching staff, to work on putts and other skills.

“This year I've just kind of put it together and it's all been mental,” Avery said. “I’ll get into a bad situation but I know it's not the end of the world. Whereas years past, I'd be like, 'Wow, this sucks. I'm done for the day.' But it's just mentally knowing that you'll get through it and one bad shot doesn't have to lead to a bad round or a bad tournament. And one good shot doesn't lead to a good round or a good tournament, it's every little thing that adds up over time.”

He’s been playing golf since he was 4 (he’s 18 now) and is a student of the game more than ever. The technical aspect and required precision appeal to him in a unique way.

“I'm in my head a lot and it allows me to use that time in a productive way,” Avery said. “It gets my ADD like, fixed because for five hours I'm out there and it's like a math test in my opinion. I love how precise you have to be and every little thing adds up. That's my favorite part of golf and I'm gonna do it for the rest of my life.”

Avery is a good student, and hopes to further his education at a yet-to-be-determined college, though there is one at the top of his list.

“I'm looking at a few schools,” Avery said. “Montana Tech being the main one right now just because I'm interested in engineering and they have everything I want in a school. Good outdoor access and stuff like that.”

And a golf team.

When it comes to academics, though, his sister Teigan (six-and-a-half years older) set the bar in that arena. Teigan has an undergraduate and graduate degree from the University of Montana and was recently in the running for mayor of Missoula.

She is an accomplished golfer in her own right, winning two state titles and finishing state runner-up twice during her high school career. She competed at the collegiate level at UM.

“I like it (school) more for the social aspect,” Avery said with a chuckle. “Like it's an excuse to see my friends. But Teigan loved both, obviously. I don't take it as seriously.”

Once golf is over, Avery has another state competition approaching — cross country on Oct. 22. He didn’t run last year because he wanted to focus on golf (the Glacier boys were state runner-up, Avery was sixth). He played basketball during freshman and sophomore year, and ran track for three years.

“I love running,” Avery said. “Golf tides me over until ski season. I love skiing. That's probably my first love. I like mountain biking… Pretty much anything outdoors because there's not a whole lot else to do here.”

The State AA golf tournament tees off today with a 10 a.m. shotgun start at Green Meadow Country Club in Helena and concludes Friday.