Notre Dame Golf competes in inaugural St. Andrews event

For the primary time in St. Andrews historical past, 4 American universities have been invited to compete within the inaugural St. Andrews Hyperlinks Collegiate. Notre Dame, one of the storied universities and sports activities applications on the earth, was amongst them. From South Bend to St. Andrews, the GOLF Staff embedded with the men’s and women’s golf groups to doc their journey to Scotland for “Past the Bend: Notre Dame’s Odyssey to the Dwelling of Golf”

The Combating Irish confronted stiff competitors in opposition to among the most revered educational faculties and adorned golf applications. Vanderbilt, North Carolina and Georgetown joined Notre Dame for this first-of-its-kind occasion.

“For the inaugural occasion, we wished to verify we had some nice faculties coming,” mentioned Lauren Watson, Director of Engagement for St. Andrews Hyperlinks. “A college like Notre Dame is famend the world over. A historic college on the Dwelling of Golf? It doesn’t get any higher than that.”

It’s laborious to step on campus at Notre Dame and never really feel a way of historic significance. From the Golden Dome to Landing Jesus to the Grotto, there’s an aura that can’t be described – it should be felt.

“When recruits come right here, they are saying there’s nothing fairly like Notre Dame,” mentioned John Handrigan, Notre Dame Director of Golf and Males’s Head Coach. “The Notre Dame monogram that all of us put on with satisfaction means a lot greater than ourselves. It’s acknowledged worldwide. Crucial factor we do is ensure we discover student-athletes with the best match for Notre Dame. Which means somebody that may be a nice participant for our program, but additionally somebody that’s going to correctly signify Notre Dame always.”

Since taking the reins, Coach Handrigan has led the Irish to new heights. In current seasons, the boys’s staff has received its most occasions in a season, earned a High 20 nationwide rating and developed a number of golfers now taking part in on the skilled degree. Handrigan, together with assistant coaches Zac Zedrick and Andy Serketich, has this system on an upward pattern.

Led by co-captains (and roommates) Palmer Jackson and Angelo Marcon, Notre Dame has a robust basis. Sophomore Nate Stevens and the freshman class of Jacob Modleski, Rocco Salvitti and Christopher Bagnall create a well-rounded roster for present and future success.

“Simply to go play golf in Scotland is one factor,” mentioned Marcon. “To play at St. Andrews is one other factor by itself. However to do each and have it on Golf Channel whereas competing in opposition to among the greatest faculty golfers on the earth? It’s particular and one thing I’ll bear in mind for the remainder of my life.”

Caroline Powers Ellis, who just lately grew to become girls’s head coach, brings a observe report of championships and growing All-American expertise to Notre Dame. Powers Ellis has a well-recognized face on campus in Kari Bellville, a former Notre Dame golfer, as her assistant coach able to jumpstart the ladies’s staff. For now, their eyes are set on the competitors at St. Andrews.

“We’re completely satisfied to be a part of this occasion however that’s not the Notre Dame manner,” mentioned Powers Ellis. “The Notre Dame manner is to benefit from the expertise, however we wish to go win.”

Happily for the teaching employees, a robust duo of upperclassman management is in place with graduate pupil Lauren Beaudreau and senior Chloe Schiavone. One other trio of freshmen, Anna Heck, Mimi Burton and Alexsandra Lapple are able to rejuvenate this system. Beaudreau has had the St. Andrews Collegiate circled on her calendar since Notre Dame was introduced as a part of the occasion.

“When the St. Andrews Collegiate was introduced I used to be actually excited,” mentioned Beaudreau. “It grew to become my focus to organize throughout apply to verify my sport is in high form for it. My dad mentioned he wouldn’t miss this occasion for the world.”

The trifecta of cold, wind and rain welcomed Notre Dame in Scotland.

As destiny would have it, the St. Andrews Collegiate aligned completely with the college’s fall break. Each Notre Dame groups would journey collectively every week early to get the complete Scottish expertise. To make the journey much more memorable, members of the family from each student-athlete and the teaching employees joined them. This was really a Notre Dame household expertise.

“For our gamers to expertise this with their households and the Notre Dame golf household collectively, it’s extraordinarily distinctive and particular,” mentioned Powers Ellis. “It will keep on with me for a very long time. It was one of the surreal teaching experiences of my life.”

Every day, the boys’s and girls’s groups modified pairings to play with one another, one thing hardly ever performed at dwelling, to deepen their bond.

“To be right here with the boys’s and girls’s staff and compete within the first St. Andrews collegiate, it’s particular,” mentioned Schviavone. “The staff performs higher once we’re having an excellent time and our staff tradition right here is as nice because it’s ever been.”

Over three days, the 4 groups would play two rounds of stroke play on the Jubilee Course, a Top 100 Course in the UK and Ireland, to find out medal match seeding for the ultimate day on The Outdated Course. The Irish stored tempo with Vanderbilt and North Carolina over Day 1 however would fall again on Day 2. On the ultimate day of play, Notre Dame would sq. off in opposition to Georgetown.

Notre Dame entered the day equal elements motivated and excited. This was the second that they had waited for, a stroll on the Outdated Course. By day’s finish, Notre Dame did what they got down to do: win.

This wasn’t a comfort prize by any means. The week served as a litmus check for the gamers and coaches in opposition to the very best faculty golf has to supply. The decision? There’s work to be performed, however they aren’t far off.

“We confirmed that we will grasp with the very best, however simply hanging with these groups isn’t adequate,” mentioned Handrigan. “We anticipate extra and we all know what we have to do to beat the very best within the nation. Our student-athletes don’t wish to come right here as a result of it’s straightforward. Notre Dame isn’t meant to be straightforward. It’s meant to problem you academically and on the course.”

There’s work and challenges that lie forward for the Notre Dame golf program. However after the ultimate putt dropped on the famed 18^th gap on the Outdated Course, it was a time to rejoice the place Notre Dame, golf and life had taken their households.

“One of the necessary values with Notre Dame is household,” mentioned Handrigan. “Having all of the households right here to rejoice this second was surreal. I noticed tears from mother and father as their youngster was strolling up No. 18. Having this expertise because the Notre Dame household has been nice. There’s nothing higher than household.”

Watch Beyond the Bend: Notre Dame’s Odyssey to the Home of Golf!

Golf.com Editor

As VP of Digital Programming, Reilly oversees GOLF’s multimedia groups and helps content material come to life via print and digital mediums in collaboration. When the Lengthy Island native checks out for just a few hours, he could be discovered taking a twilight stroll along with his push-cart. Contact: Tim.Reilly@golf.com