May 18, 2024 • by Marcus El
DIII golf has made great strides. The talent level has increased but let’s understand one thing here: You only play DIII golf because you love it.
Then there’s tournament golf, where you lose way more than you win. The greatest players to ever play the game aren’t even exempt from this simple truth. So why do we play?
I’ve been fortunate enough to travel to a few places and see many differing levels of golf. I’ve taught pee wee and junior clinics, coached a high school team, and played some D3 college golf (go Panthers).
I’ve also spent the last eight or so years watching the next generation of professional golfers tee it up with a school mascot on their golf bag. With this, I have come to the conclusion that we may not all be here for the same reason, but we are here because there’s something about the sport we love.
It’s easy to fall in love with everything that is NCAA DI golf. Elite golf courses? Yes. Player dining? 5-star. Physical trainer on site? Gift bag? Chauffeur to take you everywhere you want? Check, check, and maybe I got carried away. This is before you even get to the Rose Zhangs, and Colin Morikawas, Norman Xiongs (if you know, you know), and Viktor Hovlands that I have been fortunate to have a front row seat to see compete.
It was the third college event and halfway through the first round I knew I was home.
But there is no doubt, my favorite event in all of college golf is the NCAA DIII Women’s National Championship.
It was the third college event I had ever attended and halfway through the first round I knew I was home. This is where I belong. I didn’t miss another one for five years and only the birth of my own future DIII women’s golfer would cause me to break that streak.
There is a constant joy in the air that I just don’t feel at any other golf tournament. We are here not only to crown a champion but to acknowledge and celebrate the accomplishments of the 30-plus teams that were fortunate enough to make it to the big dance.
If I had to guess, the joy that I mentioned starts with the overall purpose that DIII golf serves for many of its athletes. I won’t claim to be an expert on the DIII golf experience, but I did play DIII golf for four years.
You don’t decide to play DIII golf because there’s a future in it. There is a finite end that most of us are very aware of from freshman orientation. Let’s face it, as soon as they called my name and I walked across that stage, it was time to get a big boy job and strategize on how to move out of my parents’ house in less than a year.
You look forward to the van rides — six people, five golf bags, one eight-seater.
College golf has changed drastically and DIII golf has grown along with it since I played but I can assure you there are no million-dollar NIL deals, private jets from donors, or team trips to Augusta National. Instead, you work part-time at the campus bookstore for enough money to put gas in the car to get back and forth from practice each week.
You look forward to the team van rides because there’s nothing like six people and five golf bags in an eight-seater. And maybe, just maybe, that one kid who’s a member at the reputable country club not too far from you will invite you out a couple of times.
DIII golf has made great strides in funding and it’s evident as more and more pictures and videos surface of indoor practice facilities and top of the line team apparel, for example. The talent level has increased due to some of those upgrades as well. But let’s understand one thing here: You only play DIII golf because you love it.
It may not even be the actual golf that makes you stick around for four years. It can be just as fulfilling to be a part of a team. Ask anyone who has played a competitive team sport what they remember most and almost unanimously the answer will be their time spent with teammates. Whether it be the shaky van rides, practice shenanigans, or team meals at cheap fast-food establishments, those are the moments etched in our memories.
This is overwhelmingly evident every year at the DIII championships as the rockstar athletes unload from the van with team stickers or face paint, coordinated ribbons in their hair, or even a team theme song!
This is not a one-time occurrence that only takes place at this one event. Just look at any video or picture from the beach party at the Golfweek DIII Classic each Fall in San Destin. This is the spirit – the ethos – of DIII golf. The time spent with the very people that have been through battle with you is just as important, if not more important, than the erasable number you put on that scorecard.
So, as we head into championship season, remember why we are here. Countless student athletes will tee it up knowing that this may be it. No more first tee jitters. No more mid-round snacks from Coach. No more finishing your round on 18 with your teammates watching in the background. They deserve our round of applause, whether this is the culmination of one season or an entire career.
No tournament does a more outstanding job than DIII Women of assuring that we stay mindful of the gift that is the game of golf, the opportunities it presents, and the people we hope to never forget.