Club golf team coming to Utah State
Editor’s Note: This article has been updated to reflect factual information.
The Utah State University Club Sports Program added a new club to their official roster: a golf club open to all students.
The recently-created club is looking for both men and women wanting to join a golf-centered community and compete. It doesn’t matter if those interested are novices or professionals, this club is a place to play, improve and enjoy the game together.
Braylen Carlson is the president and organizer of the golf club. He said he considered starting the club when he was approached about starting a competitive basketball club. Carlson said he knew he wouldn’t be interested in basketball but would consider golf.
Carlson started the process, and with the help of golfers Hunter Day and Andrew Bassett, it became an official club.
Carlson has played golf since his sophomore year of high school. He said he loves everything about the game but especially loves the competitiveness and variety it offers.
“Going to all sorts of different courses and never encountering the same situation twice gives an addictive challenge,” Carlson wrote in an email to The Utah Statesman. “Golf courses are so beautiful and offer amazing places to build relationships with people.”
Ellie Billings is an executive officer of the club. She’s played golf for most of her life, thanks in part to her dad and his love of the sport.
Billings also played competitively at Southern Virginia University, which she said grew her love for golf even more.
“I love golf because it’s challenging,” Billings wrote in an email to the Statesman. “It’s a very mental game and requires a lot of patience. I like a good challenge, and it’s a sport you’ll be able to play for a lifetime.”
The club will be part of the National Collegiate Club Golf Association. They will play in the NCCGA regional tournaments and compete with other schools in the organization, including the University of Utah and Boise State University.
While they are currently still in the recruiting process, Carlson said he thinks they have 8–10 members committed but that they are surely growing.
“We really want to get the word out because there are so many other people that we know would want to get involved but just are unaware of it,” Carlson wrote.
While they don’t offer scholarships, the club is hoping to gain sponsors to make the cost of materials and competition cheaper for members.
Right now, the club’s goal is to grow. They want to be competitive enough to win regional tournaments and eventually qualify for national tournaments.
Billings said they would like to be one of the most active sports clubs at USU, making golf more accessible for students.
“I feel like a lot of people think golf is intimidating, or you have to be crazy good at it, but it is really just a sport anyone can enjoy,” Billings wrote. “Whether it’s casual play, or more competitive play, we want to share that golf is a very fun sport.”
Carlson said they would like to play on famous courses and may have the opportunity to play on courses like Pinehurst in North Carolina through the NCCGA.
Students wanting to get involved can follow @usugolfclub on Instagram and join the GroupMe link in the account’s bio. They can also register through USU Campus Recreation. Members will meet for practice at the Logan River Golf Course on Tuesdays at 8 a.m. and Thursdays at 2 p.m.
“We are hoping to share a community where people can enjoy golf with their peers and make connections within the University and even throughout other Universities,” Carlson wrote.