Pittsburgh’s Club Golf #JourneyToBetter, Part 1

The NCCGA's significant growth over the past two years can be directly attributed to student leaders such as Dave Uhrmacher of the University of Pittsburgh. Be it founding one of the most successful teams in the NCCGA's history, serving as the Atlantic Regional Coordinator, and most recently as the NCCGA Director of Communications, Dave has just about done it all for us. Over a series of articles this fall, we will be featuring Dave and his Pittsburgh Club Golf team in looking at their #JourneyToBetter and pursuit of winning the #RoadtoRabbit fall national championship.

Q: When did you first get involved with Pitt Club golf?

The summer after my freshman year, so the summer of 2012, I had the idea to start a club golf team on campus. We had one recreational golf club on campus, but nothing for a more competitive player to go out and play against other schools. That is when I found the NCCGA website online...

Q: When did Pitt Club Golf join the NCCGA?

That summer when the idea to start a team came to me, I found the NCCGA website online and was immediately interested. That is when I got in contact with then-NCCGA President Matt Weinberger and he walked me through the process of starting a team. We played in our first Regional Tournament that fall in the Northeast region.

Q: Talk about your progression from Regional Coordinator to Director of NCCGA Communications

Taking the next step from the RC level to the student leadership team has been a tremendous step for my personal growth. The RC position did a great job introducing me to the NCCGA and how it operates, but taking on the Director of Communications position has allowed me to step in and help steer the ship, so to speak.

Q: How has the NCCGA changed over the past two years during your involvement?

Obviously the NCCGA has experienced tremendous growth with regions and teams being added seemingly every week. Coinciding with that growth has been the organizational growth and the success of the relationships with outside organizations. Partnering with Cleveland Golf and Srixon, 5 Hour, Kind Awesome and State Traditions has allowed the NCCGA to do the most important thing we work for: improving the tournament experience for our players.

Q: How has Srixon helped Pitt's #JourneyToBetter?

Pitt Club Golf has really been able to grow our own personal identity through our relationship with Srixon. Whether it be logo balls or custom bags from Cleveland, getting our logo and our story out to people outside the team has really helped us grow the Pitt Club Golf brand.

Q: You've build up quite a resume with your college golf efforts, what are some of your non-golf related extracurriculars

I have had the opportunity to work for a couple of great sports organizations while with the NCCGA. I just finished a media relations internship with the Pittsburgh Pirates and am currently working part-time with the Pittsburgh Penguins media relations staff. These positions are directly connected with some of the things I have been doing for the NCCGA, and have allowed me to capture the real-world experience and bring that back to college golf.

What is the Srixon #JourneyToBetter?

Q: What are your goals after you graduate this fall?

My goal is to someday work in sports PR. Whether it be working for a team or an organization, I think it is something I enjoy and succeed in. Wherever the work world takes me, I'll always be sure to continue growing the game of golf and encouraging younger people to get involved.

Q: How has volunteering for the NCCGA helped you achieve the goals above?

Opportunities with the NCCGA have allowed me to do things that maybe no other college sports or academic organization allow. A group of six students from around the nation coming together to run this organization has been a wonderful exercise in management, and I would be hard pressed to find a place that allows me to do the specific tasks I have done to help grow this organization from a communications standpoint.

**Dave Uhrmacher is the NCCGA Director of Communications and founding member of the Pittsburgh Club Golf Team. Interview performed by Mike Belkin.