Nate Hahn knew he did not want high school to be the end of his golf playing days. The junior mechanical engineering major grew up with the game and wanted to continue after attending Mercer University. After some research about potential avenues he decided to establish the Mercer University Club Golf team.
“I wanted to be on a team again so I started looking up on the internet leagues to play in, and once I found some, I emailed Todd Thomas who’s the director of club sports,” Hahn said.
After filling out initial paperwork there was only one thing left for Hahn to do: find teammates.
“I began looking for other players. If I saw someone wearing a hat, like a golf hat, I’d ask if they played,” Hahn said. “(TJ Long) and I found a few players and got to practicing.”
The Mercer club golf team played in their first tournament during the weekend prior to spring break. They saw competition from big schools like Alabama all the way down to Georgia College and State University in Milledgeville at Château Élan Winery and Resort in Braselton, Georgia.
“Alabama, Clemson Auburn, and then there were smaller schools like Georgia College and State, Tulane, Tennessee, ETSU…,” Hahn said.
Hahn admits that the first tournament was a bit nerve wracking for the group, but he believes that a few more tournaments can build his team’s confidence and have them looking good for the future.
“We definitely need to practice a lot more and probably work on our confidence going into it. It was a new experience for a lot of us,” Hahn said. “Just more time going and playing in tournaments can make us compete really well in the future.”
The team did not do great in their first tournament, coming in last of 11 teams. They realized getting some experience under their belt was the important thing. Hahn said he’s looking forward to tournaments next year to make Mercer Club Golf more competitive.
“It was a good experience, but we didn’t play as well as we would have wanted,” Hahn said. “You know midterms were right before then, so we didn’t practice as much, but we still enjoyed it.”
The tournament was the only one that the club golf team will play in this semester, but moving forward Hahn said the team will typically play two per semester. He encourages anyone looking to participate to contact the team’s Mercer University Club Golf Team Facebook page or contact mercerclubgolf@gmail.com
“We’re always looking for more players. The more the better,” Hahn said.
Club Golf’s first tournament is in the books
Bregeth (left) and Judd (right) hug at a poetry open mic night they hosted through Roswell High School’s literary magazine. Bregeth ran the magazine and Judd was its editor. Photo provided by Prescott Judd
