Just a couple of years.

Palmerton junior Jared Grammes has only been golfing for a few years, but it’s all the time he needed to go from picking up his first golf club to earning the Times News Golfer of the Year honors.

Most elite high school golfers have been playing since they could walk. Grammes started in eighth grade — right after the pandemic — when his family got him interested in the sport.

What he’s accomplished since speaks to the dedication that goes beyond natural talent.

“I probably went out to play 70 days out of 75 days before last season,” Grammes said. “That really got me over the hump.”

Grammes said he’s been working tirelessly to get more consistent results from his driver, which helped pay dividends this season.

Those relentless hours at Olde Homestead, the Bombers’ home course, helped transform Grammes into a district qualifier and a state competitor.

This past season, Grammes tied for fourth at the Colonial League tournament, finished fourth at the District 11 golf tournament with an 82, and capped his junior year with a 29th-place finish at the PIAA Class 2A championships at Penn State, shooting 81-74.

Both the Colonial League and district tournaments featured similar storylines. Grammes held leads deep into the final rounds before pressure-packed finishes tested his composure.

At the Colonial League tournament, he made the turn with a two-shot advantage.

“I think the pressure got to me when everybody started coming out to watch,” Grammes said. “The last three holes kind of blew up.”

The same scenario played out at districts. Grammes held a two-shot lead before disaster struck on the 15th hole.

“I got a nine because I lost three balls,” he said.

For most young athletes, those collapses might have been crushing. Grammes chose to view them differently.

“After a few hours, I looked back at it, and I was like, my goal really wasn’t to win it this year,” he explained. “It was just to get the feel and then go out next year and win it. My main goal was just to qualify and to get top five. So, I did that. At the end of the day, it wasn’t too bad.”

That mature perspective carried him to State College, where he faced brutal conditions on the opening day of the state championship. A real feel of 37 degrees with 40-mile-per-hour wind gusts made for a punishing test.

“The second day was pretty nice,” he said. “It just started to rain at the end.”

He responded with a 74 in the second round, going even par on the front nine before shooting two over on the back.

“I had about 15 people out there watching me for the two days,” Grammes said of the family and friends who made the trip. “It was very nice to see and have support.”

Grammes didn’t develop into a top-tier golfer alone. His father, Joey Grammes, serves as his swing coach despite having no formal training background. Their relationship represents the kind of dedication that defines successful athletes.

“He tells me what to do better,” Grammes said of his father’s guidance.

Palmerton coach Alex Knoll, who has competed in major championships, provides another crucial element to Grammes’ development.

“It’s great playing under somebody that’s played in a major championship and knows everything about the game of golf,” Grammes said. “Anything I have to ask him, he’s there to answer. It seems like I got an edge over everybody else, having him as guidance for me.”

The support system extends beyond the golf course. Grammes also plays basketball for Palmerton, creating a year-round athletic schedule that would overwhelm many teenagers.

“During basketball season, I’m always sore from the games,” he said with a laugh.

He has been building his resume on another stage, competing on the Hurricane Junior Golf Tour, traveling up and down the East Coast to challenge top golfers.

The events feature 16-to-18-year-olds, meaning Grammes spent the season competing against older opponents.

“I was 16, so I was the youngest trying to compete against the 18-year-olds,” he said. “I kind of had to play very well.”

Next year, trips to Florida and Texas are already in the works.

As impressive as his season was, he views it as just the beginning. The lessons learned from those late-round struggles have given him a clearer picture of what it takes to win at the highest level.

“This year, I thought in the Colonial League and district tournament, I had to play my best to win,” Grammes reflected. “But realistically, I just had to keep the ball in play and just play average, and I’d be at the top.”

It’s the kind of perspective that only comes from experience. Next year, he’ll enter those same tournaments with that knowledge.

“I don’t have to go for everything,” he said. “I can kind of just play smart.”

For someone who picked up the sport a few years ago, Grammes’ rapid development defies conventional wisdom about how long it takes to master the sport. But his work ethic, support system, and ability to learn from adversity suggest this is just the start of something special.

“My expectations are through the roof right now,” Grammes said.