Editor’s note: This is the first installment of a regular series from our Andrew Von Lossow. We’re borrowing the naming convention from our friends at Skratch. 

“There is golf, and there is tournament golf,” Bobby Jones once said. It’s a simple quote with complex connotations. Golf is a great game for many reasons: you can choose your pace, whether it’s for socializing, business, adventure, family, or competition.

But when it comes to tournament golf, that’s where I truly come alive. I love the preparation — putting in all the work and then applying it in a tournament setting. The effort to pursue a goal is deeply fulfilling for me. My overarching passion for golf is sharpened by tournament competition, giving me a clear direction in the game. I love to play, to practice, and to give it my best. This passion started at a young age, when a solid shot sent the ball soaring—a feeling I love to this day.

I’ve been playing tournament golf since I was eight years old. Growing up in a house where golf was ever-present—my parents owned Von’s Golf & Putter Studio—there are videos of me hitting a ball at age two.

I played high school golf at Nathan Hale in Seattle, Washington. With several top-five finishes in the Metro League Championship, I qualified for Districts and then the State Tournament in both my junior and senior years, highlighted by a third-place finish my junior year. That was a real highlight and a huge leap in my belief that the work I put in was paying off.

I didn’t get much attention from college golf programs. Later, I learned that recruiting yourself for college golf is just as important as being recruited based on great play. I didn’t play in national events or know how to promote myself to coaches.

But things worked out in their own way. I attended a community college after high school, then transferred to Southwestern Oregon Community College in 2009. The kicker: the school was located in Coos Bay, Oregon, just up the road from Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, which served as our home course.

My team won the conference championship, and I took home the individual title with rounds of 66 and 68, including playing the last five holes at five under par.

Over the years, I’ve worked in golf in a variety of roles—from caddying and bag room, to the pro shop, club repair, and merchandising. All of it ties back to getting out on the course and competing. I love to practice, strive to get better, and put all that work to the test in tournaments.

Fast forward to today: I strive to play in USGA qualifiers, State Golf Association competitions, Professional PGA Section events, and the Grass League. I’ve been fortunate to compete in four USGA Championships, making it to match play in three out of four attempts.

Another notable event is the Grass League, with its par-3, two-man scramble format. Four teams of two players each form 11 franchises, creating an all-out sprint for first place. It’s also played at night under the lights, which reminds me of my days caddying in the California desert, where a weekly skins game was played after dark. That was a place where numerous great players made it clear how much you need to improve to compete at a high level.

This year, my season is filled with those events. There’s no shortage of competition in the amateur ranks. I’ll be playing in the Grass League Open in Tempe, Arizona, in late April, representing the LA Roses franchise.

After the Grass League, I’ll compete in the Lamey Cup, hosted by the Pacific Northwest Golf Association (PNGA). I qualified for the Lamey Cup last year after finishing second in both the Washington Open and the Rosauers Open in the Pacific Northwest PGA Section events. I was fortunate enough to win the Washington State Mid-Amateur Player of the Year in 2025.

I’ve loved the game from a young age and, unlike most sports, golf allows you to be part of its history rather than just a spectator. Competing and exploring the history of the game gives me a sense of true involvement. Tournaments, the golf courses, the fashion, the equipment — the game covers all facets.

What drew me in was the focus and intensity of hitting shots in tournament play, and I’ll continue striving to chase that thrill.