Garnering interest for the Michigan State Club Team has never been a problem since we launched the club last spring. We knew that there was significant interest on campus to play golf, and rather than limiting ourselves to a small group of competitive players, we secured a discount rate with a local course and offered it to anyone interested in being part of the club golf team. We now have over one hundred members.
We have both recreational and competitive players, and everyone pays a small membership fee to be part of the club which provides access to discounts on golf and range balls at College Fields right by campus. This structure has worked out brilliantly so far as the competitive players have no trouble paying dues to the NCCGA while the recreational players make their money back on the first round they play. The amount of support we have received is amazing; Spartan golf is truly a unique experience and I hope everyone has the ability to experience something similar at their own campus.
But don't take my word for it, listen to what my fellow club members have said:
- “I never felt like I had a reason to play but now I do!”
- “Leagues are so much fun, club golf has totally changed my golfing experience on campus”
- “Traveling to tournaments has been one of the best experiences I have had at MSU.”
Club golf is now a reality for Michigan State students outside of the varsity team and we are growing the game in East Lansing. If you are looking to bring affordable golf to your campus, a great resource to explore is Nextgengolf which provides a similar solution to our discount program and can help your school get "collegiate rates" at courses in addition to many other benefits, so be sure to suggest public course that you want to play at on Nextgengolf’s site.
**Is there a club golf team on your campus? We'd love to hear your golf story on the NCCGA Blog. Please email your story or any questions to Charlie Inman.
