Concordia University Golf

year end

2011-12-08T16:44:00.000-06:00

It's hard to believe that the year is almost over already. What a great year it's been for the CU golf teams. We had a very successful fall season for both the men's and women's programs.

I just got back from Las Vegas for the annual Coaches Convention. It was 2 years ago when I got back from the convention that I started this blog. I haven't been very good at updating it, but after attending the conference each year, it motivates me to do it more often. Social media is the way we connect, and I need to become better at that! One of the speakers this year was Lynn Marriott and Pia Nilsson from Vision54. They spoke about the mental game aspect of golf. They were very good and I really enjoyed the seminar. If you are associated with golf in any way I would recommend reading anyone of their books.

I am currently trying to finalize our spring schedule for both programs. Once I have them finalized, I will post them here along with any other details concerning the spring.

Have a great Holiday Season!
Coach Higgins

Big Weekend

2011-09-30T10:39:00.000-05:00

It's been awhile since my last update. The season is definately underway and going in full swing. We have a huge weekend this weekend. The men play in the fall portion of the NSIC Championships. It will be at Troy Burne in Hudson WI. The women take off to play in the NSIC/RMAC Crossover in Omaha, NE. Both weekends are huge for each team. Come out and support the programs if you can! We'll post updates throughout the weekend!

Go Golden Bears!

2011-09-14T15:04:00.000-05:00

Video Blog from Drury University-Day 1

2011-09-11T23:30:00.000-05:00

season begins

2011-09-09T13:49:00.000-05:00

It's hard to believe but our fall season begins this weekend. The men's team will be hosting the NSIC Fall Preview at Troy Burne GC in Hudson, WI on Sunday and Monday. We tee off on sunday starting at 11:56 and there will be a 9:30 shotgun start on Monday. We will have every NSIC team there except one. The course is in fantastic shape and it should be a good test of how we stand in the conference. If you're in the area, stop by and watch some of the best players in DII golf!

The Women's team will be playing in the Drury Invitational in Springfield, MO. This will also be a great test for them. They will tee off on Monday and Tuesday mornings. I'll try to do a post or two to update you all. Maybe we'll even get a video up too! :) Don't forget you can also follow along on facebook or on Twitter @goldenbeargolf.

where did the summer go?

2011-08-30T12:50:00.000-05:00

Well, after what seems like the quickest summer ever, the 2011-2012 golf team begins their season tonight with the first official team practice! I'm excited to get things rolling. We have a great mix of experienced returners and talented freshman for both the men's and women's team's.

As always, I will now be updating this blog frequently. I'll be posting video's, results, and we will also have some of the players blog from the road. We appreciate your support and we hope to see you in the next couple months at one of our tournaments. You can check out the men's schedule here. The women's schedule can be found here.

You can also keep up with the CU Golf Program on Facebook and Twitter- @goldenbeargolf.

Wrap up of nationals!

2011-05-15T21:27:00.000-05:00

Lowa (Laura) and Moni (Monica) writing to you from the van ride home. This week was the best experience of our collegiate career thus far. It is hard to re-cap and put into words everything that has happened.

After our round on Thursday we went out to eat with all the parents that came to Michigan to watch us. It was a nice opportunity to get the families together for the last tournament. We enjoyed talking about the season and munching on some tasty cheese-filled pretzel bites J We had an easy-going afternoon and night which gave us the ability to relax and study for our finals.

Friday was our third round of the tournament and we had the best weather we’ve golfed in all spring. It was nice to finally see the sun and even though we didn’t play as well as we would have liked, at least we got a nice tan to show for the day. Friday night after our round we went out to eat at the Melting Pot (shh Coach told us not to tell) We were a little worried about having to cook our own food at first, but we learned quickly and made a delicious meal for ourselves. Later that night we gota conference room in the hotel to celebrate Kaytie and Molly’s graduation. It was a nice ceremony with family, cake, decorations, and the new graduates walking through our club arch.

The final morning was a much different story weather wise. It was dreary and drizzly as we got to the course, but thankfully the rain didn’t last past our first few holes. In the end, we didn’t finish as well as we hoped but we got to play a great golf course and see the best of the best in division II golf. As we watched the trophies being handed out at the end, we couldn’t help but think about how great that would be to take one of those home. Playing in this tournament has motivated us even more for the years to come. We’ve had the best week and made memories that will last a lifetime. We will miss our seniors and thank them for all the things they have taught us, for their support and friendship on and off the course. Neither of you will ever be forgotten and have left a lasting mark on the CU golf program.

You can also check out our facebook page to see alot more pictures from the week! Click here.

Love, Peace, and HAPPY SUMMER!!! :)

practice round and day 1

2011-05-12T05:09:00.000-05:00

Hello, this is Laura again reporting to you about our time here at nationals!

Yesterday we had our practice round at the course. We started the day with a little shopping spree at the NCAA tent picking out some sweet gear to bring home with us. The course is in great shape and will be a fun challenge for the week. On top of the birdies and eagles we hope to make, we ran into a few snakes and turtles on the course. This taught us to keep the ball straight in the fairway instead of the fescue and hazards that line the holes. None the less we enjoyed the day in the sunshine and topped our night off with an ice cream stop at a cute local store called Jersey Junction.

Today was the first round of the National Championship! The atmosphere was electric. It was so cool to be in a place with such a professional atmosphere and so many great golfers. The team went into today with an attitude of confidence. We all wanted to stay relaxed, have fun, and do our best. Molly came out strong and shot a 73. What a STUD! This being her last golf tournament in college she came out and wanted to leave a mark. She will be missed in every way next year. I shot 76, ending my round with a nice birdie. Tay Tay stepped up and fired a 77. Awesome way to start the tournament! Kaytie shot 86 and Monica shot 88. Both are already looking forward to going low tomorrow! The team stands in 8^th place after today’s round. Tonight the NCAA sponsored a pizza party and movie. They rented out a theater for us and showed “Water for Elephants.” We had a fun night and got to see a great movie!

Pictures will be posted after our round tomorrow (Thursday).

It’s time for me to check out for the night, another early morning tomorrow. Be sure to follow us with live scoring!

Laura

C U at Nationals

2011-05-10T06:46:00.000-05:00

Laura (Lowa) Petterson here updating everyone on ourfirst day at nationals.

The time from finding out the team made it to the National Golf tournament until now has been a blur and full of excitement! We arrived safe and sound (err not so much sound when Coach is driving) in Michigan yesterday after a 10 hour car ride. On the ride we shared many laughs and enjoyed going through Chicago.

Today has been a BLAST!!! There have been so many great memories in one day, it’s hard to put into words everything that happened. It was a beautiful morning spent walking around downtown Grand Rapids followed by a quality practice session with finally some nice weather. We ate at a great italian restaurant called Mangiamo. It is in a beautiful old mansion that has been restored. To our delight, one of the dining rooms had a chalk board surrounding it. That made the wait for the fabulous dinner fly by.

Tonight we went to a minor league baseball game after a dinner none of us will ever forget. The first inning wasn’t even completed when it started raining, lighting, and hailing. We stuck it out through the rain delay and managed to snag front row seats after that, which we dried off nicely with the bathroom paper towels. The mission of the game was to get a baseball. After unsuccessfully flirting with the bat boy, we managed to get one from the bullpen pitchers. Success J

By the end of the night and after struggling to park our 15 passenger van, coach was definitely ready for a break from all of us girls. It was a fun-filled day and we can’t wait to hit the course for our practice round tomorrow.

Alot has went on this spring...

2011-05-09T10:33:00.000-05:00

It seems like I blog more during the off season than I do during the season. This has been a great spring season. I'll write more about the spring later.

Currently I'm sitting in a hotel room in Grand Rapids, MI. Our ladies team has made it to the national tournament!!! I'll write more later tonight, but the practice round starts tomorrow. We will be going out to the course in a little bit do do a little practicing and then off to a minor league baseball game. Look for daily updates by either myself or a team member. You can also follow along on Golfstat starting Wednesday morning.

Spring break wrap-up

2011-03-13T20:20:00.000-05:00

Lowa (aka-Awol or Laura) reporting from back in Minnesota. This past week has been full of great golf, memories, and lots of sunshine. We had the absolute perfect weather in Palm Springs and had plenty of sunburns and tan lines by the end of the week. Coming back to 30 degrees, snow, and wind was awful.

A quick re-cap of the girls tournament. Monica led the ladies shooting 80-82. The team took 3rd in the tournament, but beat all the teams in our conference and region. We are happy with how we started the season and look forward to improving before our next outing. We all enjoyed playing the challenging and very beautiful Classic Club.

18th hole at the Classic Club

I think the guys would agree that the highlight of their tournament, along with winning, was that John Charles Albert Potter showed up with high pants and a McGregor VIP golf ball to the tee. Words cannot describe what happened on the first tee that day. Let's just say, have you ever seen anyone "plumbob" their driver on the 1st tee? Well I have! :) I hope the video of the swing can get posted on here. John Charles Albert Potter (aka- JCAP) showed his true colors that day showing everyone how “special” he really is.

The last night the team went out for a nice Mexican dinner. Later that night we had our annual fruit eating contest. Coach Higgins was finally dethroned from his three year reign as fruit eating champ and Aron Duren stepped up and took his place (Coach thinks he cheated, but I just think he's a sore loser!) :) Friday the team completed their trip to the west coast by visiting In-N-Out burger before going to the airport. We were all stuffed after the 2x2's and a few 3x3's, too many animal fries, and neopolitan shakes!

Laura enjoying In-n-Out

Left-Aron (fruit eating champ), right-JCAP

Living with your team for a week really brings you closer and shows you a different side of people. Mark’s chicken and bread diet, the guy’s team singing Katy Perry’s Firework, throwing Aron, Molly, and Kaytie in the pool, many cribbage games and tournaments (ahem... which I won) countless dumb moments and memories that will last forever. The team wouldn’t have made it through the week without our resident chief/assistant coach-Jacko. She made sure we were well fed with egg bake, cheesy potato's, taco's, hamburgers, bratwursts, pasta, etc... and tried to keep us all sane.

On a side note, did you know that Jacko has a fear of unfinished wood, yet slept the entire week next to a large wooden horse.

The team had a blast on vacation is excited to see what the rest of the season brings.

Spring Break- Day 5

2011-03-09T00:56:00.000-06:00

Update by John Potter

7:15 a.m. is not usually a great time for college kids. But when you're in palm desert in 80 degree sunny weather its tough to want to sleep. We headed to the Classic Club where we played our second practice round in preparation for tomorrow and Thursday's tournament. Who knew that after a few months of hibernation us minnesotans bake to a real nice pink color (ahem, nick jarrett)?

After a long, hot, beautiful day on a perfect golf course, we grabbed subway and headed out to the 'desert oasis premium outlets' shopping mall. All of the girls + Aron Duren looked right at home strolling up and down the sidewalks of the mall. An agonizing 2 hours later we headed back to the house.

During the ride back Molly bet that she'd be thrown in the pool if she was wrong about the title of a song that the girls were arguing about and to no ones surprise, when we got back, in the pool she went. Clothes and all. Only bet on something if you're at least fairly sure of your chances of success.

Tomorrow we play our first competition round of 2011 and most of us can't wait. And to our moms, tomorrow we'll be sure to put on sunscreen.

John tee shot on 17

Jeremy putt on 6

Spring Break- Day 3 & 4

2011-03-07T22:24:00.000-06:00

I just want to write a quick update. After a nice day off on Saturday, the golf teams hit the course again the last couple days. Yesterday (Sunday) we played the Resort Course at Tahquitz Creek. It was a great course with some really nice views.

There was also alot of wildlife on the course to keep up entertained. We saw rabbits, road runners, and coyotes to name a few.

Coyotes- We named the front one Bertha because it was huge! :)

Today we played at the Classic Club. That is one of my favorite courses ever. The course is VERY challenging. I saw a couple bunkers today that seemed as deep as the Grand Canyon! :) The views are beautiful, the course it in awesome shape, and the staff is really friendly! The conditions were pretty tough. The winds were blowing up to 40-50 mph and the greens were really fast.

Team on the driving range at Classic Club

Sophmore Captain Laura Petterson's ball before it went AWOL in the bunker

Everyone is getting the rust off their game and starting to play well. Tomorrow is our practice round. It will be exciting to see how the team has come out of the winter. I'll update keep updating the blog to let you know how we do.

Spring Break 2011- Day 2

2011-03-06T08:38:00.000-06:00

Our guest blogger for the day is John Potter. Here are his writings about day 2 in California!

Saturday

With the blurred Hollywood sign in the background!

After an early morning the day prior, a laid-back morning was wonderful. Jacko's crazy good egg bake charged our batteries and got us all excited about the menu for the rest of the trip. Today was our one day this week that we have off of golf. We decided as a team that we all wanted to see the sights of L.A. After breakfast we hopped in the vans and headed to LA. Most of our time in L.A. was spent people watching on Hollywood boulevard.

After a long and exhausting afternoon (maybe more like an hour), we hit the road and headed out to Rodeo drive. The highlight of the day for the men was driving past designer- Biagi, 1.6 million dollar Bugatti Veyron sports car. 1 of 600. It's ridiculous how much money there is down here.

After more than enough site-seeing we headed home. Everyone found a second wind after eating tacos and we spent the rest of the night lounging around the house or sitting in the pool/hot tub getting ready for our first rounds of golf this year.

Life is SO tough. :)

Day 1-Spring break

2011-03-05T11:05:00.000-06:00

Here is the post by Laura Petterson

Friday

The CU golf team met at the St.Paul airport at 3:30 a.m this morning and ended the day in sunny Palm Springs, California. Upon arriving in Ontario, CA (California not Canada) we spent a good half hour dodging traffic while trying to find a gas station, in the process we learned that not all stations accept credit cards. After FINALLY managing to get gas we made it to the house we are staying in. The place is gorgeous with a pool and hot tub that the team has already enjoyed. The women’s team is living in their own guesthouse. Five girls sharing one large room is bound to provide many laughs and late night chats.

We spent the afternoon on the range shanking, I mean shaking off the rust from being indoors all winter, and between shots taking in the breathtaking view of the palm trees and mountains. I can speak for the team in saying it felt so good to be back outside again and we can’t wait to compete in just a few days!

Today has been very long and full. Airports, too many trips to Walmart, late dinner, and night by the pool it is time for me to call it a night and hit the sack. The plan for tomorrow is to head into LA and enjoy a day of sight seeing and walking on the beach with some golf in the afternoon.

Spring Break- Day 1

2011-03-05T00:03:00.000-06:00

Well we finally arrived in Palm Springs today. Sophmore women's captain Laura Petterson will be posting the first blog a little later or tomorrow morning. Right now she, along with most of the other athletes, are enjoying the hot tub and pool that overlooks the 18th hole of the Wieskopf Course at PGA West! I can tell you that she probabably will post something that involves trying to find a gas station and visiting walmart and sam's club way too many times for one day!

Spring Break

2011-03-03T10:49:00.000-06:00

Just wanted to write a quick post to update you all on the exciting things that will be happening starting tomorrow. Tomorrow at this time, members of the women's and men's golf team will be in the air on our way to Palm Springs, CA! We are there for a week over our spring break. We are hosting a tournament at The Classic Club. This is the course that the men's team had their regional at last spring. It is a fantastic track that was host to the PGA Bob Hope Classic from 2006-2008. I, or someone from the team, will try to update the blog with daily happenings. We'll also try to post a few pictures and occasional video too! If it's anything like last year, I'm sure we'll have our share of events to blog about!

Coach Higgins

Get to know them- Kaytie Spangler

2011-02-28T12:49:00.000-06:00

1. Why did you choose to come to Concordia University?

The golf program had what I was looking for: dedicated coaches, good work ethic, a family-like atmosphere, and a focus on faith.

2. What is your most memorable moment as a golfer here at CU?

When we won the NSIC Conference Championship by one stroke (over four rounds) during my sophomore year. I wasn’t playing great so I actually did more damage control than anything. But when it came down to it, every stroke counted: literally. Counting up the scores at the end of the tournament was really exciting.

3. Who is your mentor in the sport of golf?

It used to be John Kendall, now it’s Craig Waryan and Sheryl Maize.

4. Name a valuable lesson that you have learned from being a student-athlete?

Four years has taught me that I need to be myself on and off the course. The second I try to fit into someone else’s shoes, I start wondering why things aren’t working. Be yourself! It’s God’s gift to you!

5. What is your favorite golf course to play on and why?

TPC Sawgrass. Since I worked at the PGA Tour for a summer, it has sentimental meaning to me and I respect the course because of its tradition and fame.

6. What skill has been the most valuable to you both on the golf course and as a student?

“Never, never, never give up.” When you quit, you will fail 100% of the time. I would rather keep trying, fail 99% of the time, and know I gave it everything I had. No one can hang their head if they’ve done everything they can with all they have.

7. What skill have you improved on the most since the beginning of your athletic career here at Concordia University-St. Paul?

My attitude and mental toughness. This is something I’ve put a lot of focus on for the last three years and found, with hard work and perseverance, the high road.

8. What are your plans after you graduate?

I’m not prepared to answer this question yet. I’m looking for a job.

9. Aside from golfing, what are some of your other hobbies?

Running, basketball, sports in general, movies, music.

10. What do you like most about the sport of golf?

Personally I think golf is only sport that presents the successes and challenges of life in a real manner. You get good breaks, you get bad breaks. One moment you’re the best player on the course, the next you wonder if you forgot half of your clubs at home. I figure if I can get a good grasp on golf, life should be pretty easy.

11. Who would be in your “dream” foursome?

Gary Player, Camilo Villegas, and Kenny Perry because of their positive attitudes and hopeful outlooks on golf and life.

12. Who is the funniest Person on the Team and why:

Amanda Bearson (even though she graduated). She should really be doing stand-up comedy instead of going to law school. Not only does she have the best one-liners, but she remembers every stupid thing that anyone on the team says and repeats it at a later date.

13. Do you have any pre-match rituals?

Well I usually forget something at the hotel or at home. Other than that, I always pray.

14. What are some of your favorite artists on your IPOD?

Taylor Swift, Jeremy Camp, Corey Crowder, the Goo Goo Dolls, the Fray.

Get to know them- Nick Jarrett

2011-02-10T12:10:00.001-06:00

1. Why did you choose to come to Concordia University?

I chose Concordia University because the coaching staff, the potential of the team, and the location of the school. By being a private Division II the middle of the Twin Cities the school can offer its students unique opportunities. The program has an extremely strong coaching staff and it has shown in the growth of both programs in the last few years.

2. What is your most memorable moment as a golfer here at CU?

My most memorable moment so far was going to the Regional tournament in California last year. We played against some of the best teams in the country on course that has hosted PGA tournaments. It showed us our team can compete and motivated us to work even harder this year.

3. Who is your mentor in the sport of golf?

Growing up I never had a mentor in golf but while at Concordia I have learned more about golf than I ever thought I’d know from our assistant coach Craig Waryan. He has more knowledge on every aspect of the game than anyone else I know. I always love asking him as many questions as I can and learning from him.

4. Name a valuable lesson that you have learned from being a student-athlete?

A valuable lesson I have learned from being a student-athlete is learning how to work with a variety of people to accomplish a common goal. Our team has a variety of individual personalities but we work together in order for our team to compete at the level we do.

5. What is your favorite golf course to play on and why?

My favorite golf course I have played has to be The Classic Club in Palm Desert, CA. We played this course last spring at the Regional Tournament and it required one to a variety of shots. It required a player to be creative but did not leave a lot of room for any miss-hit shots. It was also the best condition of any course I have ever played. I enjoyed the challenge and look forward to going back this year for our spring break trip.

6. What skill has been the most valuable to you both on the golf course and as a student?

The skill that has been the most valuable to me both on the golf course and as a student is having the ability to stay calm and collected in difficult situations. It has allowed me to stay calm and score well on the course even when I am having difficulties with my game. As a student-athlete I have been faced with many difficult weeks balancing schoolwork and golf but this skill has helped me succeed both on and off the course.

7. What skill have you improved on the most since the beginning of your athletic career here at Concordia University-St. Paul?

Since arriving at Concordia I have improved my consistency on the course. Each year I have become more consistent and I have felt I have learned more about my game and how to improve it each year.

8. What are your plans after you graduate?

After I graduate this spring I am planning on pursuing a career in coaching college golf. I have had a passion for coaching and want to continue it after college. I would like to find an assistant coaching job around the Twin Cities for next year. I also want to continue to play competitive golf and learn as much as I can about the game of golf.

9. Aside from golfing, what are some of your other hobbies?

When I am not golfing I enjoy playing a variety of other sports. I have always played many sports throughout my life and when I am not on the course I still enjoy playing other sports such as hockey and racquetball In the summer I like to spend time at my cabin.

10. What do you like most about the sport of golf?

What I like the most about golf is the mental side to the game. A player can have all the physical ability but without the mental ability they will not be able to compete. Golf requires one to think throughout an entire tournament and not only be the best player physically but mentally as well.

11. Who would be in your “dream” foursome?

The three others in my dream foursome would be Retief Goosen, Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods. Each of these players has had success at the highest level and they each play golf in a different way.

12. Who is the funniest Person on the Team and why:

The funniest person on the team has to be Kyle Lewis. While Kyle does not always say the most on the team, he has the ability to make every person on the team laugh. Some of our best trips have been with him providing the musical entertainment during the van rides.

13. Do you have any pre-match rituals?

Before a match all I do is try to relax and loosen up. I make sure I feel confident in my game and am confident in the game plan I have for the day. When I step up on the first tee I want to know exactly how I am going to play the course that day and know I am going to play well.

14. What are some of your favorite artists on your IPOD?

Some of my favorite artists on my iPod are Switchfoot, Matthew West, and 30 Second to Mars.

Spring Season is underway!

2011-01-31T11:31:00.000-06:00

Well it's hard to believe, especially with 3-6 inches of snow today, that the spring season is underway. We had our first workout/practice yesterday afternoon at Lifetime Fitness in St. Louis Park. This is our third year at lifetime. We are very thankful of Lifetime, PGA Pro Matt Just and his staff, for their support of the CU Golf Program. Yesterday we had a unique practice. We played 6-7 games of dodgeball and then played a 9 hole scramble on Torrey Pines GC. I haven't played dodgeball since high school. It also is cool to see the teams competitiveness that comes out even on the dodgeball courts! The scramble was fun. It was good to see the team swinging the golf clubs again. I've posted some pictures of the scramble below.

The other thing we will be doing this spring for practice is what I call a classroom practice. We are going through Tim Elmore's series on leadership called Habitudes. If you never have heard of this you can find out more information here. Habitudes are images that form leadership habits and attitudes. I heard Dr. Elmore speak last month at our coaches convention and he was really good. I also would guess that 60-70% of the over 100 DI, DII and DII golf coaches there will be going through this with their golf teams.

I think that's it for now. I'll be posting another "get to know them" feature later this week. Think summer! :)We only have 4 1/2 weeks before we leave for our spring break trip. That time will go by fast.

Get to know them- Molly Noser

2011-01-27T12:50:00.000-06:00

This is the first of our new "get to know them" feature. Current CU golfers responded back to some questions about themselves and the team. Hopefully you'll "get to know them" a little better. Our first player we will be featuring is Senior Captian Molly Noser

1. Why did you choose to come to Concordia University?

I chose Concordia because I was really impressed with the golf program. I felt like it was a place that I could improve as an individual while being part of a great team. I also like the small Christian community in the middle of a big city.

2. What is your most memorable moment as a golfer here at CU?

My most memorable moments include competing at the National Championship in Findlay, Ohio my sophomore year. It was so much fun competing with the best teams in the nation.

3. Who is your mentor in the sport of golf?

Growing up my mentor was my Dad. He was the one who always took me to the course and encouraged and guided me to get better.

4. Name a valuable lesson that you have learned from being a student-athlete?

The most important lesson I have learned from being a student-athlete is time management. I have learned to balance my busy classes while still being able to focus on golf. This will be a valuable skill to have as I go on with graduate school.

5. What is your favorite golf course to play on and why?

I have two favorite courses. My favorite course to compete on is the Jewel in Lake City. It is a very pretty course that is fun for competition. My other favorite course is the Pines in Brainerd. This is because I always played it during my family vacation at the lake.

6. What skill has been the most valuable to you both on the golf course and as a student?

The skill that has been the most valuable to me on the golf course and as a student is determination. If I set my mind to something, I am willing to work as hard as I need to get it accomplished. This helps me practice my golf game and also study hard for my classes.

7. What skill have you improved on the most since the beginning of your athletic career here at Concordia University-St. Paul?

The skill that I have improved on the most since I first game to Concordia trusting and being confident in myself. My freshman year, I had a hard time being confident with my game. Ever since I have worked on believing in myself that I can carry out a certain shot.

8. What are your plans after you graduate?

I plan to attend dental school at the University of Iowa in Iowa City.

9. Aside from golfing, what are some of your other hobbies?

I love to do anything outside. I love water skiing, downhill skiing, hiking, canoeing, and fishing. I like to play tennis and racquetball. I also enjoy reading.

10. What do you like most about the sport of golf?

I love the fact that it is played outside. I love walking down the fairway on a nice day. I also like the fact that it requires a lot of thinking and problem solving. Also, I love the competition.

11. Who would be in your “dream” foursome?

George Bush, Zach Johnson, and Paula Creamer

12. Who is the funniest Person on the Team and why:

The funniest person on the team is Laura. She’s always upbeat and finding a way to get the team laughing.

13. Do you have any pre-match rituals?

My pre-match rituals include wearing a ribbon in my hair and listening to Taylor Swift.

14. What are some of your favorite artists on your IPOD?

Taylor Swift, Rascal Flatts, Kenney Chesney, Keith Urban, The Band Perry

finally some pictures

2011-01-07T11:29:00.001-06:00

Here are some pictures of the trip that Kyle, John and Nick took last month.

John, Kyle, Coach McGraw, Nick

Group in front of Ben Crane's House

Group inside of Ben Crane's home

Weekend with Ben Crane, Matt Chandler and Coach McGraw!

2010-12-23T13:53:00.000-06:00

Below is the blog that senior captain Nick Jarrett wrote during his time with PGA Tour Pro Ben Crane last weekend. Nick, Kyle Lewis, and John Potter had the opportunity to spend an extended weekend with Ben at his home in Dallas, TX. They did not have wireless while down there so that's why they didn't post while they were there. It sounds like they had a great time. Pictures will follow soon...

Thursday

We started our trip Thursday night by leaving the Twin Cities just after 5pm. Kyle Lewis, John Potter, and I are traveling with two coaches and several members of the NorthCentral University men’s golf team. We are all going on a retreat through College Golf Fellowship (CGF). Our final destination is Ben Crane’s house in Dallas, TX. We will be driving though the night in order to make it down to Dallas the next morning for our tee time at Dallas Cowboys Golf Club. On the van ride we watched movies and played PGA Tour golf trivia to pass the time.

Friday
Once we arrived in Dallas Friday morning we headed to the Cowboy Golf Club. It was a windy day in the mid 40s but it was outdoor golf so we were all still excited to play. After filling up on a late breakfast at the course we headed out to play. The course was in great shape. It took a few holes to get used to playing again but it was a great way to start out our time in Dallas. After golfing we headed to Ben Crane’s house to meet all the other golfers for dinner. We arrived to his house around 5pm and met up with the other 60 college golfers and staff of College Golf Fellowship. After a great dinner we all sat down to listen to our speaker for the weekend Matt Chandler. He is a widely known speaker and a pastor at the Village Church in Dallas we would be attending on Sunday. Friday night he started by speaking on Roman 1:21-25. We discussed three main issues many Christians face in life on their walk. After the large group discussion, we were split up into small groups and shared our individual thoughts. Our group was made up of those traveling down from Minnesota. This concluded our night as we were all pretty tired from our travel down the night before.

Saturday
After breakfast Saturday morning, Matt Chandler came and talked to all of us again. This morning he talked to us about I Corinthians 6:9-11. Afterwards we once again split into our small groups to have further discussions. After our small groups we came back together. First Ben showed us his new workout videos that will be released in the beginning of next year. These are the sequels to his popular first workout video. Next Ben and his wife, Heather, talked about what life is like on the PGA Tour and how they rely on their faith to get them through life. It was interesting to hear both discuss how each one of them has continued to grow in their faith over the years through their experiences. After listening to Ben and his wife, everyone headed to a local school’s football field to play wiffle ball and flag football.

Our team was made up of our small groups but our team was lucky enough and had Ben Crane join our team. I was thinking in my head “right now we are playing wiffle ball, a game we each have done in our backyards as kids, with a PGA pro. After wiffle ball we played flag football and represented Minnesota well by going 3-0 against the other teams. It was fun to be outside playing backyard games against other college golfers from around the country.

Later that night we left the house to go eat dinner at Babe’s Chicken. It included all you could eat fried chicken, mashed potatoes, corn, and rolls. I think Kyle would agree it was some of the best fried chicken we ever have had as he went on to eat probably more than 10 pieces of chicken.

After dinner, Matt Chandler spoke for the last time. He discussed Colossians 3:1-4. For the last time of the weekend, we split into our small groups and discussed what Matt spoke on. After small groups we all gathered for a Q&A with PGA veterans Ben Crane and Paul Stankowski along with rookie Martin Piller. We were able to ask any of the players any questions we wanted. We asked everything from their most embarrassing moment while playing in an event to how each one of them kept the game fun and enjoyable. Following the Q&A there were several other players and myself that talked to Martin Piller for another hour or so about his experiences so far in his life. It was a once in a lifetime type of experience to be able to ask several PGA pros any question you want.

Sunday
Sunday morning everyone gathered after breakfast and listened to two players talk about their experiences over the last several years. Each one had a unique several years and had completely different paths to decide to make their faith the center of their lives. After packing, we all headed out to a worship service at the Village Church where Matt Chandler is the pastor.

After attending the Village Church, our entire group headed to play Whirlyball. This was a game that we all had heard about continually throughout the weekend but no one would describe it to us. They kept telling us we could only experience Whirlyball, it could not be described. And they were right, Whirlyball was extremely fun but it cannot be explained; only played. Afterwards we said our goodbyes to all the players, staff of CGF, and Ben. It was an unbelievable experience that each of us will remember for the rest of our lives. While many people headed home, our group made a pit stop on the way back to Minnesota. The head coach of Oklahoma State Men’s golf team, Coach McGraw, was going to let us stay at his house that night so we could split up our drive. Coach McGraw is the head coach of the top golf program in the country and probably the most successful athletic team in the nation.

We met Coach McGraw at Eskimo Joe’s restaurant in Stillwater, OK. At dinner we talked to Coach McGraw and learned as much as we could from him. After dinner he asked us if we would like a tour of Karsten Creek’s clubhouse. We all instantly said “YES!!!” This was the home to the most dominant golf program in the country.

As we entered the clubhouse we saw a hallway filled with National Championship trophies, All-American awards, and every other award/honor one could think of. Oklahoma States men’s golf team is probably the most decorated team ever and their clubhouse displays all these awards. As we walked through the clubhouse it felt surreal as the names of many great PGA pros were on the walls. Coach McGraw then took us into his office and showed us the U.S. Amateur trophy that was won by one of his players this past August, Peter Uihlein. We looked on the trophy as saw the names of some of the greatest golfers ever such as Tiger Woods and Bobby Jones who also once held the same trophy. Each one of us was speechless as we walked through the clubhouse.

Afterwards we left the clubhouse to go spend the night at Coach McGraw’s house. That night we continued to ask Coach McGraw questions about his team and past players on his team. Coach McGraw asked if the following morning we would like to practice at the team’s practice facility at Karsten Creek and once again it took no time for each of us to say “Yes!!!”

Monday
Monday morning several of us woke up around 5:30am to make the most of our time at Karsten Creek. We piled in with Coach McGraw into his golf cart and traveled up to the course well before the sun was up. We went on to hit pitch shots in the dark for almost a half hour before the Sun crept over the horizon. Once we could see past 40 yards, we went on to practice and talk with Coach McGraw throughout the morning. Karsten Creek has a practice facility like none other. It is one of the best practice facilities in the nation. Once again it was an experience of a lifetime.

After taking a few photos with Coach McGraw and thanking him for his generosity, we packed up the van and left to travel home to Minnesota. The experiences we had over the last weekend were ones we will never forget. We met some of the most gracious hosts who shared their faith and life experiences with each of us.

Conference wrap-up and visiting a PGA Golfer!

2010-12-14T12:14:00.000-06:00

The NGCA coaches convention in Las Vegas went great. It is always good to connect with coaches you don't see that often and meet new ones. There were over 160 women's golf coaches, from all 3 divisions, in attendance. They had two great speakers. The 1st was Rick Rigsby. Rick spoke on "Making an impact." How do we live our lives and make an impact in others. If you've never heard of Rick, go visit his website. He ended his talk with a great quote "Good enough isn't good enough if it can be better; better isn't good enough if it can be best." The other great speaker was Tim Elmore. He spoke on how can we relate to this "Generation iY." He has a couple great books that I purchased and plan on reading over break. You can find more information on Tim here.

On a different note, three of our golfers on the men's team (Kyle Lewis, John Potter, and Nick Jarrett) have an awesome opportunity this weekend. They will be traveling down to Dallas, TX to spend the weekend at the house of PGA Tour Golfer Ben Crane!! Ben has won twice this year on the PGA Tour and is currently ranked 39th in the world. This is a tremendous opportunity for these three and a wonderful learning experience. Kyle, John and Nick will be updating this blog on a daily basis this weekend and hopefully will have some pictures to post also. Keep checking back for the updates!

Lastly, next week we will also start the "Get to know them" feature. Basically this is a quick Q&A with a current player.

Coach Higgins

We are staying busy...even in the winter months!

2010-12-03T13:05:00.000-06:00

I wanted to update you all on some of the exciting things happening with the CU golf programs.

First of all our early signing class was released this past week. We are very excited to have Molly Mullins (Caledonia), Andrea Dwyer (Elk River), Adam Petterson (Lakeville), and Kyle Hagglund (Lindstrom) joining our CU Golf family next year! They all will be great additions to the program!

The CU Golf staff is keeping very busy during the winter months. I am staying busy continuing to recruit, oversee athlete workouts and fulfilling NCAA chair duties. I have the great opportunity to attend the National Golf Coaches Association Annual Convention next week in Las Vegas. There will be over 100 women's golf coaches from all divisions at this convention. Also, as the Chair of NCAA Women's DII Golf, I have the wonderful opportunity to facilitate the DII breakout sessions. I'm really looking forward to this convention. It's a great way to catch up with some friends and network with others. Coach Waryan is currently down in Arizona working with the Bird Golf Academy. He stays busy traveling between Phoeinx, Palm Springs and Las Vegas meeting with clients and giving lessons. He also helps me with recruiting and future planning. Coach Maize is staying busy traveling between MN and Sarasota, FL. She does many private clinics and private lessons during her time down there. She just recently returned from the 2010 World Golf Fitness Summit in Orlando, FL. This was put on by the Titleist Performance Institute.

With Coach Maize's help, we just finished putting the last few team members through the TPI testing. They all now have individual workout plans that they can do to enhance their golf games. It will be exciting to see how all the hard work pays off this spring!

Lastly, I would like to congratulate Senior golfer, and women's captain, Molly Noser for being accepted into the University of Iowa Dental School. After her graduation this spring from Concordia she will attend graduate school in Iowa City and sadly become a Hawkeye! :)
Congrats Molly!

That's all for now,
Coach Higgins

Where are they now...

2010-11-30T22:06:00.000-06:00

This blog is to update you on our former golfer, Jennie (Eyberg) Schader.

Jennie transferred to CU from Waldorf College and played golf at Concordia for three years from 2003-2005 and 2007-2008. She graduated with her undergraduate degree from Concordia in 2005 and her graduate degree in 2008. Jennie has been married for 4 years to her husband-Nick and they reside in St. Paul, MN with their Yorkshire terrier-Boji. She is still involved with golf, working as the Membership and Marketing Director at Hillcrest Country Club in St. Paul, MN

Nick, Jennie and Boji

When asked about her favorite memory about golfing at Concordia she replies- “I have many! I was fortunate enough to be one of the very first recruits on the CU women's golf team so I would have to say that some of my favorite moments were our "growing pains" in working to become a well-established and respected Division II women's golf team. There was a lot to learn which I think Coach Higgins can attest to! I would have to say some of the memories that stick out the most to me were the car/van trips-watching Matt try to learn how to deal with a van full of girls on so many overnight trips! Our first ever spring break trip out to California will always be at the top of the list! I still can't believe Matt let us stalk Beyonce and Jay-Z for almost 2 hours!!! Of course being the first player to make it to the Regional tournament will always be a great memory too. Most of all I am thankful for the great friendships I developed while playing for CU.

Where are they now...

2010-11-22T13:38:00.000-06:00

This blog is to update you on our former golfer, Amy (Peterson) Peck.

Amy played golf at Concordia for two years. She graduated from Concordia in 2005. Today Amy resides in Schuylerville, NY. Amy is married to Bill who is a 6th generation dairy farmer and local politician in the Schuylerville area. She has three boys- Hansen 3 1/2 years old, Hudson- 22 months and Hayden who is 11 weeks old. Here is a picture of their family (minus Hayden).

Amy writes that one of her favorite CU Golf memories was "The whole thing, traveling to tournaments was always a good time!" Amy also was a short track speed skater who participated in 5 consecutive Olympics winning 3 medals. She stays active in the speed skating world by doing consulting coaching work but she writes "My main job is a stay-at-home mom!"

Fall Pictures

2010-11-18T10:52:00.000-06:00

Here are some pictues from this past fall....

Women's Team at Wildwood Lodge Invitational- Tartan Park GC, Lake Elmo, MN

Women's Team at Fall Conference Championships-Hillcrest CC, St. Paul, MN

Men's team at NSIC/RMAC Crossover- Wildhorse GC, Gothenburg, NE

Coach Waryan, Coach Maize, Scott, Joe and CJ at the Men's Fall Conference Championshps
at Troy Burne GC- Hudson, WI

Hole 11 at Troy Burne GC- Hudson, WI

Women's Team at UNO Invitational- Pine Valley GC, Omaha, NE

We're back!!!

2010-11-15T19:31:00.000-06:00

Well, I know why I never started a personal blog... because I never update them!!! We will be updating this on a more frequent basis now. Over the winter months we will post the "where are they now" blogs, an athlete "get to know them" Q&A, and other misc. things that are happening with the Concordia University Golf Program!

Obviously our fall season has finished. Both programs played really well. The men's team currently sits in third place, and the women's program is in second, after the fall portion of conference championships. The hard work that each athlete put in over the summer paid off. I'll post some pictures of the fall very soon.

The athletes are now doing their conditioning and winter workouts. Our first tournament of the spring will be in Palm Springs, CA. We will be going back to the Classic Club for spring break. This is where the men's team played their regional last year and they will be our host course for the week we are in California. I'll write more about spring break as we get closer to March.

I know both teams are motivated to get the spring season started. Before you know it, the snow will be melted and we'll be out on the course again.

If you have any question or comments you can direct them to Coach Higgins.

New season is upon us!

2010-09-03T00:28:00.000-05:00

Finally the season kicks off this weekend. I'm very excited for this year! The women play in a 1-day triangular against MN State and Southwest MN State. We've been practicing hard this week and I know the ladies are very excited for this Saturday! Also check out our team photo's for this year! I think they turned out really well. Thanks to our SID-Josh Deer!

After taking some time off this summer, I will be updating this blog on a regular basis now. We willl be posting results and videos, resuming the "where are they now" features on past athletes and sharing some tips throughout the year. I thank you for your support of our program!

Go Golden Bears!

UPDATE

2010-08-14T16:16:00.000-05:00

Well, it's been awhile since our last posting. Summer is almost gone and the season is starting in the next few weeks! As a staff, we've been busy recruiting, teaching, and getting in a few rounds ourselves! :) I'll write more next week but I wanted to post this link real quick. One of our Assistant Golf Coaches, Sheryl Maize, was featured on Rosen's Sports Sunday on WCCO Channel 4 this past week. She did a fantastic job and gave some great tips. You can watch the segment here... www.myfitv.com/videos/414773

Season Wrap-Up

2010-05-21T13:48:00.000-05:00

A quick wrap-up of the men's and women's successful seasons:

The men had their most successful season to date as they became just the second men's team at Concordia to qualify for the NCCA tournament. They had a wonderful time at the regional tournament in Palm Dessert, AZ where they finished in 17th place and were the second best NSIC team. Individually, Nick Jarrett earned NSIC All-Conference Honrable Mention and was named First Team Academic All-District.

On the women's side, the team completed another successful season. They placed 2nd at the NSIC Conference Championships, behind freshmen Laura Petterson and Taylor Auman, who were both named part of the All-Tournament team. In their second appearance at the regional tournament, the women placed 5th, just seven strokes out of qualifying for the national tournament. Individually, Molly Noser tied for 8th, Taylor Auman tied for 13th, and Kaytie Spangler tied for 20th. Laura Petterson was awarded with NSIC First Team All-Conference honors. Molly Noser and Kaytie Spanlger excelled in the classroom earning Second Team Academic All-District honors.

Looking forward to a summer filled with recruting and excited to start the fall season with stronger teams on both sides.

Stay tuned for the next "Where are they Now" blog coming soon!!

NCAA Tournament time!

2010-05-01T09:36:00.001-05:00

Whew! What a hectic past few weeks. This weekend we head into the NCAA Regional Tournament. The men fly to Palm Springs today. They have a practice round tomorrow and their tournament is Monday-Wednesday. They are playing at a fantastic looking track called The Classic Club. www.classicclubgolf.com

The women have their practice round today and the tournament is Sunday-Tuesday. They play at The Jewel in Lake City, MN. www.jewelgolfclub.com

you can follow along with live scoring. The women can be found at http://golfstatresults.com/public/index.cfm?tournament_id=1844. The men can be found at http://www.golfstatresults.com/public/index.cfm?tournament_id=1846

update

2010-04-15T11:52:00.000-05:00

Sorry it's been so long since the last update.

the men's team is coming off 2 very successfull weeks. We went to the UIU tournament in Ankeny, IA the first week of April and the guys played very well. They had the lead after the 1st day and ended up placing 2nd in a very strong field. Last weekend they played in the second half of the NSIC Championships in Lake City, MN. After the 1st half we were in 8th place. We had a great weekend and ended up moving up 4 places to place 4th in the conference!

The ladies team has also played well over the past couple weeks. They also made the trip to Ankeny, IA for the UIU tournament. They ended up taking 5th. This past weekend they traveled down to the Park University Tournament in Kansas City, MO. The team ended up winning the 12 team tounament by 29 strokes! This weekend we will be down at the Jewel in Lake City for a important regional competition.

That is it for now. I'll write more later and also post another "where are they now."

American Idol Wannabe's???

2010-03-29T22:51:00.001-05:00

This is a quick post of what happens on our team bus when two of our players get bored on the 6 hour bus ride back to campus. Do you think they would make American Idol? John Potter is on Lead vocal and guitar and Alex Timm is on... well just watch the video! :) Turn up the volume...pretty funny!

Wayne and Springfield Wrap-up

2010-03-29T22:47:00.000-05:00

Last week the guys took off for the 8 hour drive to Springfield, IL. The 1st day was about 30 degrees and rainy. The second day was a little nicer! We placed 5th. It was a good tournament to start our year.

This week both teams hopped on a bus and traveled to Wayne, NE. They had to battle 30mph winds, a strong field and the horrible smell of Wayne, NE =)! The women's team won the tournament by 9 strokes. Kaytie Spangler shot 82-74=156 to place 2nd overall. Laura Petterson placed 4th with a 76-82=158. Taylor Auman also shot her career low round of 79 today. I'll post pictures tomorrow. The men's team placed 5th again but played pretty well. Cory Pike led the men's squad with a 74-75 to tie for 9th. Congrats to the women's squad on their second win of the year!!!

Where does the time go?

2010-03-18T11:13:00.003-05:00

First of all I'd like to thank Amanda Bearson for blogging during our spring break trip. Besides all the Miley Cyrus references... the blogs were very good! ;) I've posted a couple pictures from our trip.

Spring break went by too quick. One of the good things about coming back this year is when we had our first practice back here in St. Paul, we could practice outdoors! There were many courses open this week. It was the earliest we've ever been outdoors and practiced in the spring. What a great surprise! Tomorrow the guys team leaves for Springfield, IL for a regional tournament. Besides the weather forcast (cold and rainy) it should be a fun trip. I'll have a player update the blog on a daily basis during our trip. The course they're going to play looks great! I know the guys are excited to get into another tournament. That's it for now!

Coach Higgins

Hopped off the plane at PHX with a dream and a cardigan.

2010-03-12T18:56:00.000-06:00

Amanda Bearson here with another installment to my blog...for my followers - hello again :) These past few days have been fun-filled, golf focused, and packed with hilarious, unforgettable moments. Here is a quick recap - Saturday the team played Apache Creek, Sunday was the AMAZING Estrella Mountain, Monday was Johnson Ranch, then Tuesday through Thursday we were at Poston Butte and to close out the week we ended at the gorgeous Longbow Country Club.

Now for the juicy stuff.

Sunday - Estrella Mountain Country Club was breathtaking - the girls and the boys both played qualifying rounds in the midst of the awe-inspiring mountain range in the distance.

Monday - Picture this.... the most competitive Batman (Matt Higgins) ever and his reliable Robin (Jacko) taking on the spry, good-looking, blonde haired, blue eyed, did I mention good-looking, duo of myself and Jeremy Tetrault (or as I like to call him JT). What ensued was a dominant beating all thanks to me, JT, and Batman's wild drives and skulled shots.

Mini-golf followed where I found out a sad truth. Yes, it is possible to actually lose your ball in the middle of a putt putt course. Tragically, this was not the worst thing to happen - Jacko met her worst fear ever, she was attacked by the world's largest toothpick. There are pictures to prove this (album coming soon).

Later into this night I was fooled with trickery and quick handedness and ended up drinking a full gulp of grease – ridicule followed and I still have the occasional grease burp.

Tuesday – One word….Monsoon. The CSP women and men’s teams were both caught in the midst of a freak, Arizona down pour/wind storm/worst weather you could imagine weather. As the clouds cleared and the sun peaked out the Golden Bears charted and practiced at Poston Butte to prepare for their upcoming tournament.

Wednesday and Thursday – Nick Jarrett, John Potter, and Laura Petterson led the way for their respective teams. The head-phoned Potter took 1st place Wednesday, the white-spiked Jarrett careered it with a 66 to take 1st Thursday, and the high pony-tailed Petterson led the Lady Bears to a respectable 3rd place finish with a 74 on Thursday.

Friday – The final day in Arizona could not have been more perfect. Not only was the bright morning sun rising as the two teams tore it up at Longbow but I and JT triumphed once again over Batman and his Robin.

As I write this I am sitting in the Sky Harbor Airport in sunny Phoenix, Arizona waiting to board my plan and fly back home to Minnesota – I can honestly say this trip has been a once in a lifetime experience. Sure there was cleaning and Taylor admitting to all that she had never swept, sure there were early morning tee times, sure the guy’s team had to babysit Kyle, sure Jacko cringed at the thought of lunching at In and Out Burger when the team could eating her delicious culinary creations, sure Laura kept me up late with Wikipedia articles, sure there was Molly screaming and Missy wandering, sure there were Higgins’ bad jokes, sure there were sunburns, Kaytie’s giggles, grease, lost balls, and missed birdies…But we all enjoyed ourselves more than ever anticipated and surely will never forget this amazing trip.

P.S. The 3rd annual fruit eating contest was yet again won by the expert devourer…Mr. Matt Higgins. I tried to cheat, I tried to hoard food in my cheeks like a chipmunk, I tried to steal his water bottle chaser, yet I failed. Please, underclassmen you must dethrone this fruit eating king – his reign has been 3 years too long and his bragging 3 years too much.

It begins!

2010-03-10T07:59:00.000-06:00

Just wanted to write a quick note. We're getting ready to leave for our first tournament of the spring. Should be a great tournament with very good compitition. Both our teams are ready. We've had a great few days of practice. We'll update the blog tonight with results and some other happenings from spring break!

Coach Higgins

Saturday Hike

2010-03-07T23:30:00.002-06:00

Wanted to post a quick video from Amanda Bearson. This is from the top of the mountain that we hiked up on Saturday morning. We do it every year we are here. It's become one of the highlights of our trip!

Leaving on a jet plane, don't know when I'll be back again!

2010-03-06T00:04:00.000-06:00

Today is the start of our spring break week! We will update the blog on a daily basis. One of our "guest" bloggers for the week will Amanda "the situation" Bearson. Enjoy!!!

Greetings from sunny Arizona!

This morning the coaching staff along with the CU girls and guys golf team boarded a plane bound for Arizona, the final destination being Mesa, Arizona. It was an amazing flight in - filled with cheap airlne pretzels and a tone of excitement felt by all. The three hour flight passed and soon we were en route to our team house where everyone relaxed, unpacked, threw the football, and dressed in shorts, skorts, and polos. We headed to Alta Mesa Country Club for a sunset practice session. The team was focused and efficient - all to the delight of the coaching staff and swing coach, Craig Waryan (aka Golf God). The night was ended with delicious pizza and wings - and here I am writing this amazing blog while movie watching and getting ready for bed. Early morning team hike - I have yet to shower, that means this blog is o.v.e.r. Good night and sweet dreams to all!

Where are they now?

2010-02-25T19:56:00.000-06:00

This is the second "where are they now" blog. This blog is about another female golfer that gradated from the program- Leah Lambert

Leah played golf at Concordia for two years. She graduated from Concordia in 2005. Today Leah resides in Milwaukee, WI. She keeps herself busy by training for the Olympics in Speed Skating!!! She also works for a company that trains elite and pro hockey players. It is called DC Hybrid Skating. It is run and owned by her speed skating coaches. You can visit their website at http://www.dchybridskating.com/.

Leah writes that one of her favorite CU Golf memories was "spending spring break in Southern California." That was the first spring break trip ever for the golf program. It was a fun trip. The ladies got to play golf at some great courses in the L.A. area. We also made a trip down to San Diego and into Hollywood and Beverly Hills. I've posted a picture of Leah and the team on the red carpet at the Kodak Theatre the day before the Oscars.

(Leah, Jennie, Laura, Kelsey)

Leah is currently in Vancouver watching the Winter Olympics!

Where are they now???

2010-02-22T11:04:00.000-06:00

Today I'm going to post the 1st "where are they now" to update you on some of our past players and what they are doing now. Today I wanted to update you with one of my first players... Nikki Long (Jaycox).

Nikki played golf for two years. She was a basketball player here at Concordia also. She graduated in 2004. Today Nikki is married (Ryan) and they live in Lakewood, CO. Nikki is currently the Assistant Athletic Director of Compliance and Head Women's Golf Coach at Colorado Christian University.

She writes "One of my favorite memories would be playing up in Detroit Lakes in a downpour...thought it was supposed to be postponed and then Coach comes in the van and tells us we are playing... It was miserable. And I remember Coach getting mad at us because we thought he was playing around. :)"

She also writes "Loved being apart of the first 2 years of women’s golf at CU. Its so neat to see how well the program is doing and to know we were the start of something even though we were not that good!! Its funny because I am having to build program here at CCU as well and its neat how God put the CU experience in my life to prepare me for this today!"

Quick Golf Lesson

2010-02-13T13:24:00.000-06:00

One thing we will be posting on this blog are "quick tips." We will be posting these throughout the year. Hopefully these quick tips will help you with your golf game. These tips will be done by the golf coaching staff at Concordia University-St. Paul. We will also have some special guests that will help with these also! Our first tip comes from Matt Just. Matt is the PGA Professional at the Golf Center at Lifetime Fitness in St. Louis Park, MN. As you read in the previous entry, Lifetime Fitness is our winter home for the golf team. I hope this helps your golf game!!!

Practice has finally started!!!!

2010-02-04T19:49:00.006-06:00

Today we wrapped up our first week of practice for the spring season. It was good to see everyone. It was also good to get some of the rust off from the winter. There were a number of golfers who went somewhere warm over break and played, but a majority didn't have that chance. After a few swings, everyone was back to normal. Both teams are extremely excited to get out and play in some tournaments!

Our winter home for the second straight year is the Golf Center at Lifetime Fitness in St. Louis Park, MN. We practiced out there last winter and they were nice enough to invite us back to practice there this winter also! The Golf Center was built a couple years ago and I believe it cost over $500K to build it. It is beautiful! They have 6 state of the art golf simulators, 3 big screen HD Televisions and tons of seating with bar areas around each simulator and leather furniture to relax in. It also has a small putting green where we can practice our short game too.

Like I said, the simulators are state of the art! They are from Full Swing Golf. They are the most accurate simulator in the market today. We have the ability to hit on a range, do contests like closest to the pin or long drive. We also have the opportunity to play golf at over 50 courses all over the world. Some of the courses include Pebble Beach, Oakland Hills, The Old Course at St. Andrews, Four Seasons Resort, Banff Springs, Bay Hill, Castle Pines, Cog Hill, Firestone, Harbour Town, Innisbrook, Kapalua, Oakmont, Torrey Pines, Troon North, and Valderrama. All courses feature options to control such as green speeds, wind variables and weather conditions.

(Matt Just, Mike (aka.Phil) and Kevin)

Class A PGA Professional Matt Just is the GM/Head Professional at Lifetime. He has shown our program tremendous support in letting us use their facilities!

Matt is TPI Certified and has worked all over the country. Besides running the Lifetime Golf Center he also is the Head Pro at Brookview GC and works for ESPN Golf Schools.

if you're ever in the St. Louis Park area, stop by and check it out!

Spring 2010 Schedule- Men

2010-01-29T14:21:00.000-06:00

Posted Updated spring schedules for both the men's and women's team. Hope to see you out on the course cheering us on!!!

Wednesday and Thursday March 10th-11th: Spring Break Tournament
http://www.postonbuttegc.com/index.php       Poston Butte GC- Florence, AZ

Sunday and Monday March 21st-22nd: Illinois-Springfield Tournament
http://www.piperglen.com/                       Piper Glen GC- Springfield, IL

Sunday and Monday March 28th-29th: Wayne State Invitational
http://www.waynecountryclub.org/           Wayne CC- Wayne, NE

Friday and Saturday April 2nd-3rd: Upper Iowa Invitational
                                                            Otter Creek GC- Ankeny, IA

Friday, Saturday and Sunday April 9th-11th: NSIC Championships (Weekend 2 of 2)
http://www.jewelgolfclub.com/                          The Jewel GC- Lake City, MN

Saturday and Sunday April 17th-18th: TBD

Monday-Wednesday May 3rd-5th: NCAA Central Region Championships
http://www.desertwillow.com/          Desert Willow GC- Palm Desert, CA

Tuesday-Friday May 18th-24th: NCAA National Championships
http://www.thesagamoreclub.com/     Sagamore GC- Noblesville, IN

Spring 2010 Schedule- Women

2010-01-29T14:19:00.000-06:00

Wednesday and Thursday March 10th-11th: Spring Break Tournament

http://www.postonbuttegc.com/index.php       Poston Butte GC- Florence, AZ

Sunday and Monday March 28th- 29th: Wayne State Invitational
http://www.waynecountryclub.org/            Wayne CC- Wayne, NE

Friday and Saturday April 2nd-3rd: Upper Iowa Invitational
                                                             Otter Creek GC- Ankeny, IA

Saturday and Sunday April 10th-11th: Augustana Invitational
http://www.dakotagolf.com/homepage/start_page.php Prairie Green GC- Sioux Falls, SD

Saturday and Sunday April 17th-18th: Mankato Invitational
http://www.jewelgolfclub.com/               The Jewel GC- Lake City, MN

Friday, Saturday and Sunday April 23rd-25th: NSIC Championships (Weekend 2 of 2)
http://www.brandongc.com/                                Brandon CC- Brandon, SD

Sunday-Tuesday May 2nd-4th: NCAA Region 3 Championships
http://www.jewelgolfclub.com/    The Jewel GC- Lake City, MN

Wednesday-Saturday May 12th-15th: NCAA National Championships
http://www.longbowgolf.com/                Longbow GC- Mesa, AZ

New Year

2010-01-27T21:56:00.001-06:00

Well the season is approaching very quickly!!! Only 5 weeks from this Friday until we get out of this cold weather and go to Arizona for spring break!!!! We start practice next week already. We will be practicing at Lifetime Fitness in St. Louis Park. They have six simulators that we can use. I'll post some pictures and write more about the facility next week.

Over the course of this year I will be posting "get to know them" blogs from members on our golf team. I also will post some "where are they now" blogs that will update you on past CU golfers and what they are up too now. I'm sure they will be fun to read! I also hope to post some instructional video that will hopefully be helpful for your golf game as we approach the warmer weather!!!!

Lastly, once our travel starts I will be posting daily video updates by the players on the golf and other things that keep us busy when we travel!!!!

What a great staff I work with!!

2009-12-15T11:32:00.000-06:00

I thought I'd post a picture of the AWESOME coaching staff that I have the pleasure of working with during the year! I have 3 assistants on staff and each one is a true assest to this program. We like to have fun and do so during the year! I am blessed to have these coaches helping me. Their full bio's are available on our website at http://www.cugoldenbears.com/.

Craig Waryan has been with me for 5 years now. He is a Master Professional and teaches for the Bird Golf Academy in Phoenix, AZ and Edinburgh USA in Brooklyn Park, MN. Craig is a true "professional" in every way- on and off the course! He's the most knowledgable person I know when it comes to golf and has been a great mentor for me!

Sheryl Maize is in her second year with our program. She is a Class A LPGA teaching professional and teaches out of Crystal Lake GC in Lakeville, MN and Palm Aire CC in Sarasota, FL. She is also TPI Level 2 Certified. Sheryl is a true teacher. She loves working with the athletes and it shows every day on and off the course!

Jacquelyn Hauser starts her first year as Graduate Assistant for our program. "Jacko" was a four-year starter and captain. She is the most accomplished golfer in CU Golf history. Jacko is a hard worker and because of her experience, relates well to the athletes. I'm excited that she can continue her CU Golf career now on the staff!

Few team pictures from Fall 09

2009-12-11T12:33:00.008-06:00

Volunteering at Feed My Starving Children

Team at Feed My Starving Children
2009 Augustana Invitational Champions! 2nd year in a row!
2009-2010 Men's and Women's Golf Team
2009-2010 Men's Golf Team

2009-2010 Women's Golf Team

First Post!

2009-12-11T10:20:00.004-06:00

Greetings! My name is Matt Higgins and I'm the Head Golf Coach at Concordia University in St. Paul, MN. This sort of thing is new to me. I've never "blogged" before but thought I'd give it a try. The reason for this blog is to keep you up to date with what is going on with the Concordia University Golf team! In the future I hope to post pictures, video and daily updates of our trips. Hopefully parents, donors and supporters, recruits and friends of our program will find this useful! If you have any questions please contact me at golf@csp.edu.

We are affiliated with the NSIC (Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference) and NCAA Division II. We are the only school in the Twin Cities area (besides the U of M) that can offer athletic scholarships. We are also the only private school in the state of Minnesota that can offer athletic scholarships!

The women's team is coming off of their best season which saw them win the conference championship, advance to regions, and place 8th in nationals. They also had the highest team G.P.A in Division II women's golf! The men's team is also experiencing new success. We've had our most successful season to date and their team G.P.A is the highest men's team G.P.A at Concordia.

We look forward to keeping you up to date with what's going on with Concordia University Golf!