It’s safe to say that Newberg senior Ray Greller is a decent golfer.
After all, he won the Pacific Conference individual title his freshman and junior years — finishing second his sophomore season — and has improved every year at the state championships. He’s been the Tigers’ best performer on the boys team throughout his high school career and is committed to Northwestern College in Iowa.
Though many years of dedication led to Greller’s talents, there is one person who foresaw his aptitude for the game long ago — his father, Tom Greller.
“I remember I told my wife when he was two or three, I said, ‘He’s got a great swing,’” Tom Greller said. “He always liked it. He always wanted to go out in the yard and just whack the golf ball around.”
“He gave me these little plastic Spider-Man clubs to hit,” Ray added. “He definitely has helped me progress and he’s been my coach my whole life.”
The journey on the fairways between father and son has culminated to Ray’s senior season. The Tigers are about halfway through their campaign as Ray is perhaps finding his stride at the right moment.
“My scores have gotten lower every tournament and I’m coming off a tie for first at Chehalem Glenn (on April 8),” Ray said. “I think individually I’m doing well and I’ve found something in my swing and I’m hitting probably as good as I’ve ever hit it, which is nice because we have about a month left until state, which is when I really want to be playing my best.”
The Tigers boast 12 total golfers on the boys side. Newberg’s varsity includes Jackson Carr, James Teters, Monte Romersa and Ray’s little brother, Luke Greller. The team’s dynamic has ensured the best season possible for Ray in his final year.
“It’s definitely been the most fun year of high school golf,” Ray said. “Our team this year is so fun — we had a couple of seniors join golf for the first time … the overall vibe of the team I think is the best out of the four years I’ve been here.”
DNA
While Ray’s been involved in golf for most his life, it wasn’t until his freshman year that he decided to prioritize the sport. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its restrictions, Ray was out of school by noon. He spent his extra time at Chehalem Glenn Golf Course in Newberg, perfecting his game.
“During COVID I’d be out there probably six or seven days a week for 2-4 hours depending on if I played or not,” Ray said. “I don’t think I could count how much time I’ve spent out in Chehalem.”
“At some point, probably around the pandemic, Ray decided that he wanted to pursue golf in college and possibly beyond that,” Tom Greller added. “I (said to him) if that’s what you want to do, you’re going to have to really focus and train harder.”
Fortunately for Ray, there’s likely not a better instructor he could find than his dad.
Golf is in the Greller’s DNA — Tom Greller’s brother, Michael Greller, is PGA golfer Jordan Spieth’s caddie and played collegiately at Northwestern College. Despite not playing in college himself, Tom Greller is active in the Oregon Golf Association and won the men’s senior division in 2022 at the OGA Tournament of Champions in Salem.
“There’s a very long history of guys who have coached their sons in golf,” Tom Greller said. “We actually went to some outside instruction for a couple years because boys don’t want to listen to their dad at all times … ultimately I think what we both found out is that nobody knows Ray’s swing and game as well as I do.”
The familiarity between the two is unquestioned, clearly, a byproduct of countless hours shared together. But those hours aren’t always filled with coaching — the two have shared plenty of battles and there’s likely no one Ray likes beating more than his dad.
“Every time I’m out there I’m just trying to beat him,” Ray Greller said. “I’ll never forget the first time I beat him.”
“The first time he beat me for 18 holes on a real golf course was at the OGA course in Woodburn. I shot 79 and he shot 77,” Tom Greller added. “Ray’s always tried to beat my brains in, but I’ve told Ray a million times I hope the day comes where I can’t get within four strokes of you because you’re just that good.”
Although Tom Greller didn’t play in college, it wasn’t for lack of trying. He played all throughout high school and tried golfing at the Division I level but was cut, ultimately finding his path in beach volleyball and competing for several years professionally. He stepped away from golf before he was inevitably reunited with the sport he initially sought to pursue.
He turned his failure into Ray’s success. He had navigated the waters of collegiate golf long before his son and knew the tools Ray needed to turn his dreams into reality.
“Ray has way more natural talent than I ever did,” Tom Greller said. “From a young age that was very, very apparent — that he had the makings of being a really, really good golfer. The fact that it was something he really loved to do and it was time we got spent together just made it all that more special.”
As Ray finishes his career at Newberg, his goals are simple: win the conference and stand alone at state.
“Both years at state I got there and my ball striking kind of went cold,” Ray said. “I didn’t hit many greens … it’s just been a lot of work of trying to control my nerves and staying in it mentally.”
Ray added: “Trying to take it one shot at a time. It’s a big golf cliché but that’s what I’ve been trying to do.”
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