By Pat Tintle
Staff Writer
While golf may not be known as the typical team sport, there are competitive relationships developing between Bonnie golfers on the course.
“Obviously, golf is an individual sport,” senior Chris Mackey said. “But I don’t think a lot of people understand the team aspect is so important when trying to put together the best four man score possible.”
As he has entered his senior year, Mackey, hailing from Bradford, Pa., is looking to take on a new leadership role for the Bonnies. One of only two seniors on the team, Mackey knows this is his time to step up and give back to the program which helped make him the golfer he is today.
“Leadership is not only an important aspect but a responsibility of being a senior,” Mackey said. “I owe it to the guys to help them out when needed and give them any advice I can in regards to tournament experience as the guys did for me during my freshman and sophomore years.”
Those three years taught Mackey the ins and outs of the sport at the college level. Unlike professional golfers, these college athletes are playing for more than their own names – they’re playing for the name of their school.
“It definitely helps you grind out the best round possible knowing that you’re playing for your teammates and representing SBU,” Mackey said. “We mesh as a team because the rest of the guys have this same mentality.”
Now a seasoned student-athlete, Mackey will take up the responsibility of guiding the underclassmen on the team. Lessons will need to be taught and examples will need to be set, according to Mackey.
“It is important for freshman to remember that golf is always a work in progress and to not get discouraged if they don’t play in a lot of tournaments throughout the season,” Mackey said. “Hard work is essential to improving and is something each and everyone of us works toward daily.
“The worst thing you can do out on the course is get down on yourself and start hating the game, because at that point, salvaging a round is impossible.”
Golf is a mental sport just as much as it is physical. Having teammates around help create a balance between the two aspects, according to Mackey.
“It is important to remember that every one of the guys out there is your teammate, and they are going through the same thing you are,” Mackey said. “At the end of the day, it is important to remember that golf is game, and you have to love it. It is a privilege to play college golf and represent St. Bonaventure, not a right.”
Hard work and preparation are, of course, important to a successful season, but Mackey also acknowledges that in a game where time and patience are key, a golfer needs to truly enjoy the sport he is playing.
“It is important to remind everyone that we are out here playing the game we love at the Division 1 level, and nothing can beat that,” Mackey said. “The memories we make as a team will stay with us for the rest of our lives.”
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