Player's Blog

Andrew De Decker's golf with hippo and lion in Africa

2012-01-23T11:36:00.000-08:00

When I think of my favorite golf moments ever, many come tomind. Victories, eagles, my lone hole-in-one – they all make the list. However,a few years back in the northern region of South Africa, I experiencedsomething that not many people can relate to.

I was on vacation with the family visiting the KrugerNational Park, a world-renowned game reserve. Just south of the boundary fenceis the Hans Merensky Golf Course, which is where I teed it up that day. Thespecial thing about this golf course is that it is in no way fenced off fromthe surrounding wildlife. Cats, crocodiles, boars; they all roam the fairways.Naturally this poses a safety threat, but only very recently was the firstfatality recorded. Just like marshals ride around the local courses askingpeople to speed up play, rangers patrol the premises with high-powered rifles.

I got to the 17^th hole, a long par three overwater. The green ahead still had to clear, and I needed a way to pass the time.A few yards short of the green in the dam a hippo was visible, and of courseone thing led to another and I found myself with a pitching wedge in hand, ascuffed Titleist on the ground and trying to accurately gauge the distance tothe wallowing giant. I guessed correctly. A beautiful high draw landed with aresounding thud on the beast’s head, sending it whooshing underwater. My firsthippo-in-one was accompanied by shrieks of surprise from the German touristsputting out, completely oblivious to what had just happened. In all it was aweirdly amusing and enjoyable moment.

The 18^th hole didn’t fall short in theentertainment category either. After tapping in for par on the previous holeand launching a drive down the final fairway, I began walking towards my ball.A hundred yards or so short of where it lay, a ranger drove up to me and toldme to stop walking. Confused, I began asking him why but stopped quickly enoughwhen I saw what was happening up ahead. A lion had emerged from the adjacentbushes, and it was dragging a baby antelope in its jaws. Clearly not in anyrush to get out of the way, it dropped the kill down in the semi-rough andbegan eating away. After taking a few moments to absorb the reality of what Iwas witnessing, and fearful of fetching my ball let alone playing my approachshot, I got a ride back to the clubhouse.

I gave myself par.

Andre DeDecker, junior from Cape Town, South Africa

Go Card!

Wilson Bowen on Sandy Tatum and alumni support

2012-01-09T09:22:00.000-08:00

Last month, my teammates and I had the opportunity to attendthe annual Men’s Club dinner at the Stanford Faculty Club. The official speakerfor the evening was Sandy Tatum (Stanford Hall of Famer), and it was a true privilege to hear Mr. Tatumdetail many of his wonderful experiences with the game of golf.

Mr. Tatum epitomizes the tradition of Stanford Golf. NCAAChampion, Rhodes Scholar, and USGA President are just a few of his numerousaccomplishments. Most inspiring though, are his tremendous efforts in the cityof San Francisco and with the First Tee Organization to improve the lives ofothers through the game of golf. Hisachievements are nothing short of remarkable.

I had the honor to play golf with Mr. Tatum at Stanford lastspring. I’ll always remember the 220-yard 3-wood that he hit onto the 18^thgreen.

Opportunities like these make the Stanford Golf experienceso unique. It is rare in college golf to find such a strong alumni community,and our yearly invitation to the Men’s Club dinner is just another example ofthe incredible support our team receives. These alumni interactions ensure that Stanford Golf continues thetradition of excellence.

We’re primed to have an outstanding season this spring.

Wilson Bowen

Senior from Winnetka, IL

Go Card!

Shane Lebow on balancing academics and athletics at Stanford

2011-12-19T06:52:00.000-08:00

Sports analysts and other top ranked schools have longcommented that it is simply impossible to achieve academic and athleticexcellence simultaneously. With now 17 Director’s Cups, and working towards 18 our athletic program has proved this assumption wrong 17 times. I am notwriting to brag about accomplishments, rather to share my observations on whatI have learned through being part of such an esteemed institution.

Havingcompleted four quarters here on “The Farm,” I am beginning to figure this placeout. Those who are successful at Stanford are able to thrive in the face ofchallenges. While this applies generally to success in life, Stanford certainlydemands this of their student-athletes. It is a reflection of the culture andstandard that coaches, teammates, and alumni have developed within the athleticdepartment and individual teams.

Stanford isable to attract Olympic athletes and national standouts year after year. Notonly do athletes turn down easier academic options, they also choose difficultmajors while here. Other universities often recruit athletes with the idea thata lesser academic load will help them better integrate into the professionalathletic ranks. However, in the last year I have come to the exact oppositeconclusion. I believe the ability to handle the bilateral commitment toathletics and academics has been the very reason why Stanford has produceddominant professional athletes like John Elway, Kerri Walsh, John McEnroe, andTom Watson.

Thebalance of academics and athletics forces students to be disciplined inhandling their performances. On almost every team there are examples ofindividuals like Toby Gerhart. As many know Gerhart, now on the MinnesotaVikings, was a two-sport athlete who finished 2^nd in Heisman votingin 2009 while taking 21 academic units (6 more than the average of 15 perquarter). Being surrounded by an athletic program comprised of such excellenceand determination has had a profound effect on me. It has lead me develop timemanagement skills and maturity that I don’t think I would have developedanywhere else.

StanfordGolf and more broadly, Stanford University is something that is truly special.It has already given me growth and learning opportunities that I will findvaluable long after graduation. Coming off a hard academic week with finals, Ican’t wait to get back to a full practice schedule. We have a great group ofguys this year and saw improvements throughout practices and workouts duringthe fall quarter.

Looking forward to Spring Season andfinding some W’s!

Go Cardinal!

Shane Lebow

Article about Marcel Puyat in MyDesert.com

2011-10-27T07:53:00.000-07:00

Here's a recent article about freshman Marcel Puyat's expérience in his few weeks at Stanford. The article is written by mydesert.com, with the local connection that Marcel played his senior year at a high school in La Quinta, CA.

Click on the image to enlarge the article.

Click to enlarge article

Video interviews of the 3 Stanford freshmen, Patrick Grimes, Patrick Rodgers and Marcel Puyat

2011-10-05T12:45:00.000-07:00

Meet the 2011-12 Stanford golf team freshmen in these three video interviews of Patrick Grimes, Patrick Rodgers and Marcel Puyat. The interviews were conducted at the Seibel Varsity Training Center late in September 2011 during their first week of classes at Stanford.

Larger versions of these interviews can be found at their individual web pages : Patrick Grimes, Patrick Rodgers and Marcel Puyat.

Patrick Grimes

Patrick Rodgers

Marcel Puyat

Patrick Rodgers reflects on his first collegiate win at Olympia Fields

2011-09-29T07:59:00.000-07:00

Stanford, Calif. - Freshman Patrick Rodgers won the Olympia Fields/Fighting Illini Invitational last week, carding rounds of 68-70-68 (206, -4). Rodgers met the team in Illinois after returning from Aberdeen, Scotland, where he competed in the Walker Cup.

He became the first Cardinal golfer to win his first collegiate tournament since Tiger Woods accomplished the feat 17 years ago.

Battling rainy weather on the final day, Rodgers made two birdies and had no bogeys to win the tournament by three strokes. He led Stanford to a 16-stroke victory over an impressive field that included 10 Top-25 teams.

You only had a few days between the Walker Cup and the tournament. How did you prepare for your first college competition?

"It was pretty hectic. Chicago isn't too far from my hometown (Avon, Ind.), so I flew home, got my game ready to start college golf and went up and met the team. In my mind they were two totally different events. The Walker Cup is one of the highest honors you can receive in amateur golf and to be a part of that team was really special. It was a long and emotionally draining week because you put so much into the competition; you're playing before 8,000 people and they're all rooting against you. On the flight home I had time to reflect and re-focus and I was ready to get to school and start college golf. After the Walker Cup I knew I could compete in college golf and I just focused on playing well at Olympia Fields."

The last Cardinal golfer to win their first event was Tiger Woods. What was it like joining that club?

"Any time you're compared with him in golf it's a good thing. It's a big accomplishment, but I feel that college golf is more of a team event. The goal is to win as many events as we can as a team so to start off with a 16-shot win as a team is pretty good and I'm just happy that I could help the team do that."

You met a lot of your teammates for the first time at the tournament. How did they welcome you into the group?

"I met a few of the guys on my visits and we had a great experience at the tournament. Everybody's happy that we won and that lightens the mood a lot. The freshmen are going through the normal stuff, having to carry the bags and all that. Maybe my performance puts a little target on my back for some of the upperclassmen that didn't like me beating them but I'm sure they'll use that as motivation. I know that they'll get their fair share of wins this season later in the year, we have a lot of great players on our team."

You shot a final-round 68 in the rain. How were you able to accomplish that?

"It was a good steady round. I made a lot of pars and I missed a few birdie opportunities early but I made a few coming in. Something I took from that round and the tournament was that I could win without playing my best golf. Coming off the Walker Cup I didn't have my `A' game and I didn't have much time to prepare. I was really proud of the way I was able to scrap it around and score my golf ball without hitting it great. I struggled off the tee all week and I was able to manufacture some shots and score and play consistently. I only hit about 35 percent of the fairways and I had four bogeys for the week so I can take a lot of positives from that. I realized that I can compete and win at this level without having my best stuff."

Why did you choose Stanford?

"Why not? It's an awesome place, perfect weather, great academics, great coaches and first-class facilities. It was a win-win situation for me. I'm excited to be here."

Here's a link to the GoStanford.com article.

Team answers the last question on surprises at Stanford outside of golf

2011-05-06T06:49:00.000-07:00

This is the last of 7 questions asked each of the Stanford men's golf team a few months ago.

7. Outside of golf, any surprises for you this year at Stanford?

Living in an apartment and having to supply yourself food is rough. Especially if your only cooking skill is scrambling eggs.

David Chung

Surprised that Stanford football did as well as they did this year

Sihwan Kim

Looking back, freshman year was a breeze compared to this year. Surprised by just how important time management really is, and making every minute count with regard to being productive.

Andre De Decker

Surprised how quickly the time at Stanford goes by.

Wilson David Bowen

Everything's pretty close to what I expected. But I can't believe how well players are treated at the tournaments!

Cameron Andrew Wilson

Football! It shouldn't be a surprise because we know we were capable of doing this, but to actually pull it off and end the regular season at #4 was on nobody's radar. It is awesome to see Stanford playing in a BCS bowl for the first time in awhile.

Andrew Yun

I have been surprised at how fast the year has seemed to progress. Everybody always talks about how fast the time in college seems to go by, but I guess it is hard to understand until you actually experience it yourself. With one quarter of my senior year completed, my classmates and I have just two quarters left before graduation. I expect it to be bitter-sweet. It will be sweet in the sense that all of our hard work the past four years will pay off. However, it will be bitter to leave a place as great as Stanford.

Graham Brockington

A somewhat suspected but nonetheless awesome surprise this year has been our team being closer off the course than I’ve seen it before. This may just be a feeling of senior nostalgia setting in, though I’m pretty sure there is a noteworthy trend that has begun similar to the two previous national championship teams. We communicate differently this year, in a better was; I think nothing but awesome thoughts when picturing what our program will do this spring and in years to come.

Steve Ziegler

Everyone is so happy to be here, it is amazing the energy around campus.

Shane Lebow

The football team's success was awesome to watch this year. I actually got introduced to Andrew Luck by one of my fraternity brothers at a party this year. It was pretty cool and he seems like a really nice guy.

Steven Jeffrey Kearney

Team answers question 6 of 7 about swing keys

2011-03-23T07:12:00.000-07:00

6. Is there a main swing thought, or swing key that you've been relying on over the past few months?

Just to try and get a full shoulder turn. Once I get full rotation, my arms and body become more connected and allow for a more consistent swing.

Steven Jeffrey Kearney

I have been trying to quiet my legs through impact. My main thought right now is keeping my head taller, with my head up my legs are much more stable.

Shane Lebow

What I’m most interested about at the beginning of every swing is having a specific plan for how I want my swing to look and feel like beforehand. If I have a solid feel for what the rhythm, orientation, and swing path of my next shot will be then my control of the golf ball is unsurprisingly better. Besides this, I am working on keeping my arms, specifically where the biceps and triceps meet, connected to the sides of my chest throughout the swing. Doing this keeps the club in a place where I can feel it throughout the swing which is super important.

Steve Ziegler

I have been working really hard on my alignment by using an intermediate point just in front of the ball that is on line with my target. Once I get my clubface set up squarely I align the rest of my body and then just focus on relaxing my arms and shoulders.

Graham Brockington

There has been two swing thoughts that I've been relying on. One of them has been 'precision.' I want to be precise with my shots, and the way I achieve that is by being conscious of my tempo of my golf swing. The other swing thought is to smile. I occasionally lose track of how fun and lucky I am to play this game.

Andrew Yun

My main thought lately has been to keep my head still when putting.

Cameron Andrew Wiilson

Grip it and rip it.

Wilson David Bowen

Out 'n Up on the takeaway. I was getting too flat and stuck behind in the past few months, and this is helping me to correct it.

Andre De Decker

Staying more over the ball

Sihwan Kim

Smoother slower backswing.

David Chung

Straight down the middle with freshman Cameron Wilson

2011-02-26T07:00:00.000-08:00

This interview was posted on gostanford.com
Feb 25, 2011:

STANFORD, Calif. - Cameron Wilson's favorite golfer is not who you think it is. As a left-hander, one would assume the first year player from Rowayton, Conn. might answer Phil Mickelson, or Bubba Watson or for you historians of the game, the classy New Zealander, Bob Charles. Wilson's going with Seve Ballesteros, the swash-buckling Spaniard whose shot making skills and ability to escape from trouble were second to none when he was atop of his game.

Wilson's shot-making skills has made him a regular fixture in Conrad Ray's lineup this season, as he has played in all five events to date, carding a stroke average of 72.8, which ranks third on the team behind Andrew Yun and David Chung. He has recorded two top 10 finishes in five events, placing fifth at The Prestige at PGA West and tying for ninth at the Gifford Intercollegiate.

The ambidextrous Wilson advanced to the second round of match play at the 2009 U.S. Amateur and was named the 2009 Metropolitan Golf Association Player of the Year, becoming the youngest recipient in the history of the award.
He also excelled in another sport in high school in addition to golf - squash. And if you want to know he capital of Zimbabwe, Kazakhstan or the location of the Eastern Ghats mountain range, ask Cameron.

GoStanford.com recently caught up with Stanford's left-hander to discuss his transition to college life, his passion for soccer and his encyclopedic geographical knowledge.

Home course?
Shorehaven GC, East Norwalk, CT.

Favorite course you have played?
Friars Head, Long Island NY.

Course you would most like to play?
Augusta National.

Favorite golfer?

Seve Ballesteros.

Your dream golf getaway package?
Scotland, all the great links courses.

One swing thought you are always trying to remember?
Always complete my shoulder turn.

Best advice you can give a recreational golfer?
Work on your short game!

Favorite practice drill?
I love to hit balls at the telephone pole on our facility.

Favorite major championship to watch?
The British Open.

Earliest memories of playing golf?
I remember chipping/putting with my dad until it was dark. I was probably 3-4 at the time.

What's your most memorable round?
When I first broke 100, I was eight at the time.

What's your most memorable shot?
I was playing Andrew Yun in the US Junior Amateur back in 2008, and I was down three or four holes by the par 5 sixth hole. After hooking my drive into the trees, I hit a punch three iron around the trees, over/around a water hazard, and it rolled from 20 yards short of the green to about five feet.

Toughest hole at Stanford Golf Course and the key to playing it?
The third, you can't go left! But right is usually a tough par as well.

Best hole at Stanford Golf Course?
Number two, you must hit two good shots to have a birdie putt.

Longest hitter on the team?
Steven Kearney, mostly because his biceps are so big.

Who is the last guy on the team who want to face in a putting contest?
Andrew Yun.

Favorite ball mark?
It just has to be big enough to see.

Favorite club in your bag?
I like them all, can't play favorites.

Your dream foursome?
Myself, Seve Ballesteros, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods.

One thing you are constantly working on to improve as a player?
I'm always thinking about my putting.

Why did you decide to come to Stanford?
It is the ideal blend of golf and academics, not to mention the awesome campus, people, and weather.

Tell us about your introduction to French cheese at Isleworth?
Coach Rowe had some French friends that were in Orlando to see Disneyworld. They came and watched us, bringing along some wheels of cheese. Coach Rowe then put the cheese in our van before our round started...that van still reeks.

Tell us about your IHUM course taught by Tobias Wolf?
It was called "Journeys." We read and discussed books in which someone goes through a transformation. He gave some pretty intense lectures.

Funniest guy on the team?
Sihwan is always laughing about something.

Favorite Conrad Ray saying?
Too many to list...most common is "lipstick on a pig."

Is it true you have the biggest sweet tooth on the team?
It's pretty close between myself and Coach Ray.

Favorite spot on campus?
Apart from the Siebel Center, I would say the Oval.

Your most difficult challenge your freshman year?
Sleep! Also working on the road can be tough. Last trip I had to write a paper on the plane.

Tell is about your interest in squash?
I played for my high school team, and a bit in middle school. It was a great way to stay active in the winter and I enjoyed the chance to take a break from golf. Most of my peers played golf all year.

What are some of your interests other than sports?
I enjoy watching soccer a lot. I'm also I'm a big fan of Monty Python movies and shows. I played soccer growing up until high school. I would've loved to keep playing but golf became my main focus. When I was little I liked Man United because my British cousins brainwashed me. Then I realized that liking Man U was similar to liking the Yankees, so now I root against the big teams (Chelsea, Utd, Arsenal, Madrid...) But my favorite player is still a guy on Man U. named Paul Scholes.

Do you have any superstitions?
I already have enough to worry about!

Hidden talents?
I know a lot of obscure geographical knowledge. I guess I've always been good with maps, plus I took a geography course this fall and I still remember a lot of the countries/capitals.

Favorite movie?
Local Hero, a Scottish comedy from the 80's.

What's on your IPOD?
U2, Dire Straits, and a lot of the Beatles. Only a few dozen newer songs.

Question 5 of 7: Team members share a favorite practice drill

2011-02-19T09:47:00.000-08:00

5. Is there a favorite practice drill to pass onto the Stanford golf community?

"Ten Chance" - You get 10 drives to hit between a 25 yard wide target. Once you make 7/10 you advance to the next stage which is 20 yards wide.

Steven Jeffrey Kearney

10 Chance- you have to hit 7 of 10 drives in a fairway of 25 yards, if you do that then you go to 20 yards and do 7 of 10, and finally you move to a 15 yard fairway and you are a graduate from 10 chance if you can get 7 of 10 for the third time.

Shane Lebow

Around the practice green I take five balls and toss them randomly in a general spot, then pick a hole and try to get them in the hole in ten strokes or less. The idea is to pick spots that are feasible as to build confidence and not to leave a spot until you’ve successfully gotten the five balls in the hole in ten strokes or less.

Steve Ziegler

Our new assistant coach, Coach Rowe, has introduced us to a great driving drill that we have used extensively this fall called “10 chance.” We set two flags 25 yards apart from each other, 260 yards from the tee. Then we get 10 shots to land 7 balls in between the flags. If you make 7 or more, you set the flags at 20 yards apart and then 15 yards apart after that. You only get 1 chance at the drill per day. It’s great at improving your driving and at building up pressure.

Graham Brockington

We have been doing this drill that Coach Rowe taught us called 'Ten Chance.' So you place flags or something of the sort out in the distance 25 yards apart, 20 yards apart, and 15 yards apart. You get ten balls and a tee box facing towards the flags. Go through your routine for each ball and try to hit it inside the 25 yard flags. If you make at least 7 out of 10, you 'graduate' to the 20 yard flags. Same rule applies to that. We only do this once a day because it makes it more realistic to actual tournament conditions. This drill has increased my confidence on the golf course.

Andrew Yun

My favorite way to practice is to hit balls at the telephone pole over by the wedge tee.

Cameron Andrew Wilson

I like to throw kettle bells.

Wilson David Bowen

I own a training aid called the PowerStrap. Excellent for practicing one's pivot!

Andre De Decker

I like to use a string in putting to correct and enhance my putting stroke.

Sihwan Kim

Chipping golf balls into baskets or onto towels

David Chung

Can you share a funny story about a teammate or coach?

2011-02-11T07:27:00.000-08:00

Click on image to enlarge

Question 4 of 7 is answered by Cardinal players:

4. Can you share a funny story about a teammate or coach that happened this fall?

I think the funniest thing is watching Lebow and Andre wrestle on the mats before yoga on Fridays. Lebow is still yet to win...

Steven Jeffrey Kearney

When we played at California Club this Fall, the whole team came wearing shorts. The club only allowed pants, so we were left to scavenge through the locker room looking to borrow pants for the day. It ended up that we only found waist size 36. The whole team was drowning in their pants the whole day. It provided for a funny twist in qualifying.

Shane Lebow

Rob Grube is a well-known former teammate and filled in as the temporary coach at Olympia Fields while Coach Ray was playing stork and Coach Rowe was making a get-a-way from Europe Jason Bourne style. I came to the tee box on the par three 16^thduring the second round and found Rob chilling, staring off into space and talking about random things with our temporary assistant coach, Graham Brockington. I asked what he was thinking about, and he told me he was thinking of the range session he had just finished before arriving at the tee box. I thought that was pretty funny. When Mike Small, the head coach of Illinois, heard of Grube’s day he enthusiastically replied, “Oh that’s the best thing to do, I do it all the time.”

Steve Ziegler

Steve Ziegler and I were on the putting green having a putting contest one afternoon when Freshmen Cameron Wilson and Shane Lebow walked up to the green. Steve and I had just finished up our contest when Cameron throws a couple of balls onto the ground and begins to putt. Forgetting that Cameron is left handed and thinking he was putting the other direction, I accidentally step directly in his line and stand there. Cameron politely asks me to step aside and I do. Apparently unaware of what had just happened, Steve steps directly where I had been standing, right in Cameron’s line. Steve drops a couple of balls down and putts to the hole. Cameron chuckles and asks Steve to move. Steve doesn’t, so Cameron proceeds to putt anyway. As the ball is rolling towards Steve’s feet, he winds up with his putter and smacks Cameron’s ball about 40 yards off the green. Steve smiles, and says, “Okay, I’ll move,” and walks off the green. Shane, Steve, and I had a good laugh about that for about five minutes and Cameron eventually joined in as well.

Graham Brockington

I remember laughing at this story when Sihwan told it to me. So the team was supposed to meet at the clubhouse and Sihwan was going to take Cameron up with him because they live in the same dorm. Sihwan gets in his car and was about to call Cameron to see where he was. But he sees Cameron already sitting in the passenger seat. Sihwan was obviously a little surprised at seeing him in his car and Cameron promptly said, "You should be more careful about locking your car."

Andrew Yun

At Isleworth, some French friends of Coach Rowe were in town to see Disneyworld. They came by and watched us for a day, bringing some horrible French cheese with them. Coach Rowe then put the cheese in the 100 deg van for a whole day. I guess he didn't have his thinking cap on. The van still probably smells awful.

Cameron Andrew Wilson

I think most of this fall's funny stories involve Steven Kearney and his undying love of the bicep curl. He's all about the beach body workout. Curls for the girls.

Wilson David Bowen

Whilst Steven Kearney's unique workout regime comes to mind immediately, it's his appetite that I find really incredible. Every time we run late whilst traveling off campus to play and end up eating at In-n-Out, he puts away a meal the size of a small child. I suppose that's how his biceps are so large. Andre De Decker

I don't have funny story this year but last year, we left Steven Kearney at the airport on our Arizona trip.

Sihwan Kim

Sihwan Kim walked into workouts with a mohawk. The look on coach's face was pretty funny.

David Chung

Question 3 of 7 - Share something about a teammate that we wouldn't know

2011-01-31T07:26:00.000-08:00

3. Share something about a teammate that we wouldn't know?

One of the guys on the team had never heard of the band, Nirvana. Steven Jeffrey Kearney

Sihwan Kim can out eat any other collegiate golfer.

Shane Lebow

Living with Graham Brockington sophomore year enlightened me to what the most interesting man in the Universe does regularly. Most mornings, he shaves with a straight edge spatula before making omelettes.

Steve Ziegler

Freshman Cameron Wilson can break dance. Not only can he do it, but also he is really good. The first time I saw him break dance, I was in shock. We were about to start yoga as we always do on Friday mornings, when Cameron suddenly busted out a head spin, the signature break dance move. He just spun round and round at an incredible rate of speed until he broke out into other moves. I keep trying to get him to do it at a party, but he hasn’t pulled the moves out yet. I can’t wait until he finally flashes his moves on the dance floor!

Graham Brockington

Cameron Wilson can crush desserts like no other.

Andrew Yun

I don't think a lot of people know that Lebow used to play the violin pretty well.

Cameron Andrew Wilson

Steve Ziegler talks in his sleep.

Wilson David Bowen

Shane Lebow has a way with women that can only be described as a gift from the heavens. He is truly blessed. Sihwan Kim also has a Kill:Death ratio in Call of Duty that is higher than my GPA.

Andre De Decker

David Chung has the loudest snore that I've ever heard.

Sihwan Kim

Stephen Kearney has been attacked by bats on campus.

David Chung

Golf team members respond to question 2 of 7 about their families

2011-01-16T18:27:00.000-08:00

This is the 2nd in a series of responses by Stanford golf team members to recent questions.

Players were asked - "tell us something about you or your family that your teammates don't know."

1. Steven Kearney - "I love eating a huge bowl of ice cream right before going to sleep."

2. Shane Lebow - "I played the violin for 10 years, finally my parents let me quit at 16 and I started playing the drums."

3. Steve Ziegler - "On the day of the summer solstice in 2001, my Dad, brother and I took a road trip to Northern Wyoming with the intention of breaking the Ziegler family record for greatest number of holes played in one day. The number to beat was 72. And so, well-equipped with large Ziplocs full of less than average quality golf balls (you lose many when 15 seconds is the maximum time allowed for a ball search) we set out for a very long day. I have plenty of sweet memories from that day, where after playing from sun up until sun down we completed 77 holes. Records are good, very good.

Also, I have never paid for a hair-cut."

4. Graham Brockington - "I have been playing the guitar since the beginning of high school and my little brother, Mike, plays the drums. We jam together when we go back home, which is a lot of fun. Most of the time we end up playing ACDC or Red Hot Chili Peppers. I also have an older brother, Tyler. If you were to ask him what instrument he plays, he’d say, “I play the stereo.”

5. Andrew Yun - "There is not much about me that my teammates do not already know, so I guess one thing that they don't know yet is that I will be going to India for a mission trip this upcoming summer."

6. Cameron Andrew Wilson - "My third cousin is the lead singer for Vampire Weekend. I don't really know him, think we've met at a few weddings/funerals."

7. Andre De Decker - "

I'm half-Belgian, from my dad's side of the family. I could theoretically play in the Ryder Cup!"

8. Sihwan Kim - "My first golf coach told me to quit."

9. Wilson David Bowen - "I have a black lab named Lily."

10. David Chung - "My dad is a black belt in karate."

Players write about an interesting course or assignment from the fall

2011-01-10T07:18:00.000-08:00

We asked team members recently to respond to 7 questions while they were on break. We'll be posting their responses over the next month to these questions so let's start with an academic one.

Question --- Tell us about an interesting course or assignment you had this past fall.

1. Steven Kearney - I got to go to the San Francisco Exploratorium on a field trip for my psychology class. There were a bunch of interesting illusion displays including a machine that could sense your emotions just by measuring the pulse in your finger.

2. Shane Lebow - I took an Intro to Nutrition class this fall quarter which I found to be very interesting. We learned how important food is to your everyday life. It was amazing to hear that many diseases and illnesses can be avoided through the use of specific food groups. The class really opened my eyes to the effects of my diet.

3. Steve Ziegler - I took a course titled “The Economics of Education” which was very interesting because I not only learned about how the United States finances its education system but how the financial strategies of other nations differ.

4. Graham Brockington - I took a class called “Organizations,” in the Management Science and Engineering department. We talked a lot about leadership and motivation and it was interesting drawing parallels between the material in the class and our team. It is essential to have good leadership and for the players to be motivated. After going through the class I feel like our team has both leadership and strong motivation, and it was exciting to see how the concepts I learned can be applied to our team.

5. Andrew Yun - An interesting course I took this fall was Psychology 1. Although it was just an intro course, it was extremely informative and had loads of ideas and content that really interested me. I am considering pursuing Psychology as a major, so this class was both fun and important. On a side note, the lecturer for the class was Professor James Gross, who happened to be Coach Rowe's mentor!

6. Cameron Wilson - My IHUM course was taught by the famous author Tobias Wolff. (This Boy's Life)

7. Wilson Bowen - Had to sit next to Graham Brockington in class one day. That was interesting.

8. Andrew De Decker - I took an introsem on Human Experimentation. Really cool stuff, best class I've taken at Stanford to date. -- editor's note introsem stands for introductory seminar (see below for a description of this class).

9. Sihwan Kim - Slept 3 hours in two days during finals.

10. David Chung - Had to research the 2010 Delaware Primary featuring the infamous Christine O'Donnell.

HUMBIO 90Q: Contemporary Issues in Human Experimentation

Preference to sophomores. The guiding principles currently used to protect human subjects in terms of informed consent and protection of privacy; ethical issues relating to compensatory mechanisms for inherent risks; historical perspective and the development of the current mechanisms to safeguard the privacy and integrity of the individual; examples of use/abuse of human experimentation during medieval, Nazi, and modern times. Guest speakers currently performing human experiments or involved in approving such experimentation.

Next question is "Tell us something about you or your family that your teammates don't know."

Frosh Shane Lebow shares his experience at Isleworth with Tiger Woods

2010-11-05T06:13:00.000-07:00

Into the 2^nd month of my freshman year here at Stanford I still feel like I am living a dream. I spent much of last year building up expectations of what The Farm would be like, and it has exceeded every one of them. From tournaments, practice, and workouts to classes and dorm life, it has been great! Coming off our recent tournament at Isleworth I am beginning to understand what it means to be a part of a school and a program that is so special.

While down in Florida we had the privilege of spending time with one of Stanford’s most famous alums, Tiger Woods. Growing up idolizing him, it was incomprehensible to me that I would ever get to meet and spend time with one of best athletes of our lifetime.

After the second round, Tiger invited us over to his house for dinner. After a delicious meal of ribs we all sat in the living room, and Coach Ray opened discussion by asking, “Freshmen, you got your questions ready?” While Cameron and I both sat staring at each other hoping the other would think of something, the discussion began with the upperclassmen eventually helping us out. Tiger reminded us how much we are in control of our success in practice and in tournament play. Things like precision, attitude, and shot choice are intangibles that mean everything. What struck me most was the way in which Tiger would do anything to give himself confidence to pull off a shot. I took away more from Tiger’s responses in those two hours than any amount of practice or hours of lessons.

Since my arrival here, Coach Ray has spoken a lot about the history and the future of Stanford Golf. Our first team meeting began with Coach saying: Stanford Golf is a fraternity that will stay with you forever. In Isleworth and with Tiger this rang so true. 15 years removed from being teammates at Stanford, Coach Ray and Tiger sounded like they were back in a team van. Joking about their teammates, freshman roommates, Coach Goodwin, and pranks amongst the team; it could have been any of our team’s conversations now. It was something that I would have never imagined before arriving here; Tiger Woods, after 14 majors, millions of dollars, and 69 professional tournament wins, still couldn’t stop talking about his time at Stanford.

The video below is Tiger hitting on the range with the team watching.

In the beginning fraction of my time here I can already see and look forward to the bond that I will always have with Stanford and more specifically with Stanford Golf.

Looking forward to our event next week at Cordevalle and ending the Fall season on a winning note!

Thanks for the Support and Go Cardinal!

Shane Lebow

Soph Andrew Yun blogs coming off a great 6-shot win at the Prestige!

2010-10-14T12:29:00.000-07:00

Andrew with winner's trophy at the Prestige - click to enlarge
This new school year has brought a bit of the new along with the old. With a new team and a new year brings a new season. But we have the same old goals of winning every tournament and ultimately the biggest prize of all, the NCAA Championship. So far, this new school year has been a continuation of last year's postseason and summer play.

The win at The Prestige at PGA West is definitely one of my biggest wins, ranking right up there with the Dogwood Invitational earlier in the summer. The Prestige had a totally different feel than the Dogwood because of the college team format. Unlike the Dogwood, I had no idea who my closest competitor was, but I knew I had to continue to play well because the team was counting on me.

Every part of my game was clicking during my play at the Prestige, but one part of my game that stood out was my putting. I believe I averaged 24 putts for the three rounds at the Stadium. I've never putted too well on Bermuda greens before so this is a real confidence booster, especially as we get ready for Isleworth in Florida next week.

Click to enlarge 3 round scorecards from Andrew's win at the Prestige

The final round was one of the best rounds of tournament golf I've ever played. Knowing how difficult the course and pins were set up, my goal was to play, as Coach puts it, boring golf. Hit fairways and greens and if you don't, give yourself a putt for par. The first six holes at the Stadium course are an important stretch of golf that can make or break your round. Fortunately, I got off to a good start and the momentum just carried through to the end of the round.

It was extremely exciting to be a part of a young, dynamic lineup. The two freshman played admirably, with Cameron finishing in the top-5 and Shane coming back from a disappointing first round to post a 68 in the second. They really stepped up to the plate when we needed them most. Although we did fall short of winning the tournament, I feel that we got a glimpse of what we, as a team, are capable of doing when a couple guys start playing well in that second round. And it also speaks to the depth of our team. Coach Ray and Coach Rowe say it all the time, but we have 10 competitive golfers that can play and start in the lineup at anytime. There is no other team in the nation that can boast the same.

My favorite college tournament venue would have to be a tie between the Prestige and Hawaii. Hawaii will always be a week in paradise. However, the dinner at Morton's, staying at Mr. McNealy's house, dinner at Mr. Ray's place, playing the Stadium Course, it all adds up to one of the best trips of the year. Watching Stanford beat USC in arguably one of the most memorably football games of the year definitely puts the icing on the cake!

The team is looking forward to our next tournament, the Isleworth Collegiate, which includes many of the best teams in the nation. We have been practicing efficiently and will continue to work hard so that we can get that first win under our belt!

Thanks for the help and support!

Go Card!

Andrew Yun '13

PS -- Editor's note - Andrew was named national golfer of the week by Golf Week - http://www.golfweek.com/news/2010/oct/18/player-week-andrew-yun-stanford/

Soph William Bowen reflects on season after team rounds at Cypress and the Preserve

2010-05-19T15:25:00.000-07:00

Stanford offers an unrivaled education and the country’s best golf program, so my decision to make the trek west was a simple one. It wasn’t until I arrived at school, however, that I began to appreciate the many other unique opportunities that the program offers. This past weekend presented such an opportunity.

Carved through cliffs overlooking the Pacific, 17 Mile Drive offers some of California’s most scenic views, and Cypress Point manages to transform many of these spectacular views into a golf course. On our recent trip down to Monterey, we were lucky enough to enjoy golf and lunch at the club.

The next day showcased a similarly astounding golf course cut through the forests of a Monterey wildlife preservation. The course, called the Preserve, is a stunning Tom Fazio design amidst the wild turkeys, boars, and mountain lions of the region.

These two courses were components of a great two-day trip down to Monterey that would not have been possible without the generosity of golf team donors. Prior to enrolling in school, I never really understood the extensive support system that comes with playing on the Stanford golf team. I could not ask for better coaches and teammates, and I recognized this as a recruit, but I never imagined the generosity and support I would receive from the Stanford alumni and friends and all those who make Stanford Golf such a special program.

The team is playing great. We have been working very hard and are determined to succeed this postseason. We have been lucky enough to have many people rooting for us along the way and I know that we will not let them down.

Go Card!

Wilson Bowen

Freshman Steven Kearney crosses into "a new frontier for me"

2010-05-07T07:35:00.000-07:00

I thought I had a pretty good feeling of what it would be like to be on the Stanford Men’s Golf Team after playing four years of golf on my high school team. I was mistaken. The first week of school almost everyone in my freshman dorm came down with swine flu. I got sick shortly after and missed one day of qualifying for Palm Springs as well as a week of workouts. I thought I was going to fall behind in what seemed to be a couple of important weeks of bonding with the team and getting used to the program. I got an email one night that week from our team captain, Joe Bramlett, telling me I was an important part of the team and that everyone was looking forward to me getting healthy again. This was something I wasn’t used to at all. Back on my high school team everyone was focused on their own game and not really worried if other guys were struggling. This was the start to a new frontier for me, knowing that there was a new meaning to what it meant to play for a team.

One of the best perks that comes with playing on the Stanford team isn’t just playing great courses and having an incredible practice facility, but its learning to manage your time. I thought I understood the concept of that term before I came here, but after almost two and a half quarters I have come to realize that there is a whole new meaning to the phrase. After morning practice, class, workouts, and homework there isn’t much time to do other things. Throw in laundry and trying to adapt to life in freshman dorms and at times it can seem seriously overwhelming. I used to be jealous of the fact that guys down the hall could sleep in until twelve in the afternoon or stay up late every night watching television shows, but learning to become self-disciplined is something that I can honestly say has helped me both on the team and academically this year.

The team dynamic is truly impressive. Our practice and training schedule is pretty demanding but everyone on the team sticks to what is expected of them. Workouts are difficult and at times I feel they can be rather grueling, but when you have nine other guys as well as the coaches all grinding it out at your side, you can almost feel the determination in the room; the determination to win a national championship. Along with incredible competition, I feel like I have really benefitted from the leadership presented on this team. Our team captain Joe, really brings a lot of intensity to this team. He is one of the most dedicated players I have ever met and his determination rubs off on the rest of us when it’s time to work on what we need to do to get better.

This season has been really fun in the process. Along with winning tournaments and playing great golf as a team, I’ve experienced some pretty classic moments. Like when Joe beat me in a chipping contest with only his left hand when his right wrist was injured, or when the team managed to leave me at the airport when leaving for the hotel in Phoenix during ASU’s home tournament. Although I may not have been very happy when they happened, I’ve come to realize they are pretty funny. I look forward to more memories like these as we continue our stretch into the post season.

Go Card!

Steven Kearney ‘13

Soph David Chung writes about his experience on the Farm

2010-04-23T07:52:00.000-07:00

Stanford never ceases to amaze me. Our most recent golf team fundraiser was named "Shultz Cup." Yes, after the former Secretary of State, George Shultz. Not only was the event hosted by Mr. Shultz, but its guest list included our very own former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and many notable businessmen from around Palo Alto and Silicon Valley areas. I could feel success permeating through the air that day. The people I meet at Stanford inspire me to strive for excellence in all that I do.

I was told that sophomore year is the toughest academic year at Stanford and believe me, it is true! Juggling intensive school work, morning workouts and golf practices is turning me into a productive and organized person. If there is one lesson I've learned, it’s the importance of multitasking. Despite the work, I wouldn't trade my experience at the Farm with anything else!

After winning our last fall event and our first spring start, our team ran into some rough patches. Our 7th place finish at the US Intercollegiate event, which we hosted at the Farm last week, was especially painful. It made us appreciate earlier wins, but at the same time, it made us realize how much it burns to lose. As the old saying goes, you learn wisdom from failure much more than from success. We have put in the hard work and have upped the intensity in our workouts and in practice.
As the postseason is upon us, we are ready to push each other as a team. Yesterday, at our Annual Stanford Alumni vs. Varsity Challenge Match, all 10 of us played and our best five scores were 65, 66, 66, 67, 67, not so bad for a team in a “slump.” On the immediate horizon for the team is the Pac-10 Championship which starts five days from now (April 26-28). It is at ASU’s Karsten Course in Tempe, a venue that held the ASU Thunderbird Invitational that our team competed in two weeks ago. It is a Pete Dye course that puts a premium on accurate iron shots and good putting. The course suits our game and we are ready. As coach has repeatedly reminded us, we have yet to play our best golf this season. Maybe that will happen next week...
Go Card!
David Chung ('12)

South African Andre DeDecker has transitioned well to Stanford

2010-04-19T06:46:00.000-07:00

The first 7 months of my time at Stanford have certainly been an experience unlike any other I’ve ever had. Coming from over 10,000 miles away to a foreign land and what will be my new home for the next 4 years, I have managed to make the transition into the Stanford community with surprising ease. The intensity of this institution is incredible, and was an immediate shock to the system for me. That being said, I am relishing every opportunity to get involved in what this place has to offer and am thoroughly enjoying the challenges it presents. It’s difficult, thinking back on the past two-and-a-bit quarters, to comprehend just how quickly time has flown by, but that is the nature of a great college like Stanford.

On the golfing front, Stanford Golf has had a mixed year to date. Five top-4 positions out of six events to start with, including back-to-back victories, were followed by a few sub-par events. We will be working harder than ever to set this record straight and get on a winning streak again. Also the chance to meet Tiger Woods was also a memory to cherish, and is without a doubt one of the highlights of my golf career. The self-confidence he displays in how he goes about his business was really inspiring.

With only PAC-10s, Regionals and the NCAA Championship remaining for the year, all our energy will be channeled towards preparing for these events and hopefully walking away with a national title. The team is very eager and motivated to make the most of the next few weeks in order to achieve these goals.

Thanks to everyone for your continued support, we wouldn’t be the same team without it!

Go Cardinal!

Andre DeDecker
Freshman '13

Top frosh Andrew Yun writes about his 1st year at Stanford

2010-04-08T10:34:00.000-07:00

When I first came to campus, I did not know what to expect. Being all by myself without the help of family for the first time really opens up your eyes and makes you take responsibility for your own actions. Doing the laundry is a real pain and I can honestly say that I have the greatest respect for all the mothers and others that do it on a daily basis. As for the golf team, I was trying to prepare myself for the duties that a freshman is entitled to have: sitting in the back of the van and having your head almost the roof of the car each time the car hits a little bump, unloading and loading all the bags, and some other personal favors from each of the upperclassmen.

But those are not the only expectations that I had when I came to Stanford. I knew that when I arrived, I would be joined by nine of my fellow teammates that are willing to dedicate their time and effort so that we can make this year a memorable one, both on and off the golf course. Day in and day out, we have been working hard towards one common goal: to win the NCAA Championship. Although we have had a strong run – winning the Cordevalle and Hawaii – our last three tournaments have been lackluster at best. With our home tournament coming up this next week, we have a chance to right the ship and gain some momentum heading into the postseason.

Finally, I would like to thank my family, the coaches, my teammates, donors, boosters, and everybody else that have been an integral part of Stanford golf for making this possible. Although it has been fun up to this point, I know the best is yet to come.

Go Stanford!

Andrew Yun (’13)

Steve Ziegler, junior All-American writes of aspirations for the Spring

2010-01-11T06:25:00.000-08:00

Editor's Note - Written by Stanford's junior All-American Steve Ziegler.

Fortunately, many individuals from our team had competitive summers of amateur golf and GolfWeek deemed Stanford as the top ranked team in the nation at the beginning of the season. Well done everyone! As expected, the crown of being at the top of the Golfweek rankings had its gold as well as its thorns (great events along with great expectations). Rankings don’t equal championships and won’t help us much towards our goal come early June. However, rankings are the product of invitational championships and consistent performance that we strive for at Stanford; they offer us a fairly solid way to measure overall quality as a team over time. I’ll remember clearly when my Mom described a life lesson to me that made a lot of sense, “The higher you are up the ladder, the more people you have looking at your butt.” This was ‘luckily’ our situation. We had and still have good motivation to keep it going, to stay on top.

As a result of incredible play by Peter Uihlein, Morgan Hoffman, and others, Oklahoma State won twice and overtook us in the rankings roughly halfway through the fall season. Today, only days away from the beginning of the Spring Season we are ranked number two behind Oklahoma State with Florida and Florida State close behind. The good news is Oklahoma State along with many other highly ranked schools will be present at Hawaii-Hilo’s Invitational at Mauna Lani early this February, so we’ll have a chance to start off the spring in the same way the Cowboys started off the fall.

Joseph Bramlett fortunately appears healthy again, and the impact of his competitive return to this team in my mind could not be overstated. Freshmen Andre DeDecker and Steven Kearney are eager to contribute and Jordan, Graham, and Wilson are all working hard for their chance to lead Stanford to tournament titles. Qualifying for Hawaii will undoubtedly be intense as usual. After all, Hawaii does seem pretty appealing by mid-winter after a couple months without competition.

The liaison between our dreams and their reality will be having a line-up one through five where each member has a chance to win the event individually. The year prior to my freshman year, 2006-2007, Stanford without exaggeration won nearly every event they entered. It was exciting to watch. They had five All-Americans, a one through five line-up that dominated consistently. What is more exciting is I see that same potential for us this spring. It’s going to take more than words, rankings, and wishes; hopefully all the priors will also be the product of our due work. Let’s Go Card!!!
Steve Ziegler

Junior Graham Brockington on Stanford's fall season

2009-12-27T09:28:00.000-08:00

Coming back to school this year was particularly exciting as we were preseason ranked number one. On our first team trip we were all ready to prove we deserved our number one ranking. Before our first tournament however, we were offered a golfing trip of a lifetime. We traveled to the east coast where we would play 5 courses, all ranked within the top 30 of Golfweek’s best courses list. We played the number one ranked course, Pine Valley as well as: Shinnecock, Sebonack, Friar’s Head, and National. It was a blast as all courses were great in there own way. Then we headed to Chicago where we would play our first tournament at Olympia Fields CC, the site of the 2003 U.S. Open. The course was one of the toughest I have played and we finished fourth.

As we returned from our trip we were immediately shoved back into reality, as classes would begin the next day. Since then our new team has had some time to get to know each other. In my three years on the farm, I have noticed that the team dynamic is different every year. With three new freshmen coming in this year, it is hard to know beforehand how the new team will mesh. Fortunately our team has grown close through the fall as we all are united under common goals.

We would go on to finish second as the Prestige at PGA West and third at Isleworth in Florida. With one tournament left, we were hungry for a win at Cordevalle, especially since we had lost our number one ranking. With a great final two days of play we were able to pull out the victory to beat the current number one ranked team, Oklahoma State.

As the fall season has ended and we look towards the beginning of our spring season, I am filled with excitement. This year especially, I feel like we are on the right path. While we go back home for Christmas break and a few weeks of “off” time, you can rest assured that we will be working harder than ever on our games to be ready come tournament time.

Go Card!
Graham Brockington ('11)

Sihwan Kim writes about the team's strong fall season

2009-12-08T09:37:00.000-08:00

Photo of Sihwan at Isleworth CC courtesy of Stanford photo.

Editor's Note: Stanford's All-American junior Sihwan Kim writes about the fall season. Sihwan has had an excellent fall season as he has finished 2nd, tied for 8th, tied for 28th and tied for 2nd in his 4 tournaments. He leads the team with a 71.2 scoring average. Sihwan was also just named the Pac-10 player of the month for November.

After a long summer, I was excited to play college golf once again because I knew that our team was as strong as ever. I knew that if we just play decent golf, we can win every single golf tournaments and ultimately NCAA.

We started this year with some good practice and memories. We got to play 5 great courses including Pine Valley and Shinnecock Hills. I’ve never played so many good courses in such a short period of time.

Then, we headed off to Chicago for our season opener. This fall season was the best fall season out of three years I’ve been here and I hope that it will get better. We finished 4th, 2nd, 3rd, and first place at Olympia Fields, PGA West, Isleworth, and CordeValle respectively. It felt really good to finish the fall season with the win.

And as for the spring, I hope Joe comes back and helps us out to win the NCAA.
Sihwan Kim

Senior captain Joseph Bramlett updates on the team's progresshis and rehab program

2009-11-17T20:02:00.000-08:00

Editor's Note --- senior Captain Joseph Bramlett has fought wrist injuries for two seasons after earning 2nd team All-American honors as a freshman.

The offseason has now officially begun for our team now and I couldn’t be happier with where we are group is going. Coming off of an exciting win at the Gifford Collegiate our team can enjoy the offseason on a high note, with the confidence that comes with a victory. The victory was made even more special playing with Oklahoma State in the final round and beating them with three freshman in our lineup. I think it speaks volumes as to how talented and competitive of a group we have. For the first time since my freshman year we are able to hit the offseason in full stride and use our momentum to build on what we have for the spring.

Although I thoroughly enjoyed watching the team win last week, I cannot describe how tough it was sitting on the sideline watching instead of being in the action playing. I have been going through a very specific rehab program where I will hopefully be 100% ready to go at start of the spring season. It is always hard to predict exactly how long this will take and wrists are especially unpredictable, but I have been very encouraged about the progress I have been able to make this fall and I am more than ready to trade in my pom poms for golf clubs. I will continue to take it one day at a time and hopefully it will pay off in February and more importantly next May.

It’s amazing to me how fast my final year on the farm is going and hard for me to believe that I will be graduating soon. I have thoroughly enjoyed my three and a half years here, but I don’t think I will be ready to leave without another national championship. Thanks everyone for the support you’ve shown and were going to do everything we can to bring a 9th national championship back home.

Joseph Bramlett, Senior

Senior Jordan Cox shares the year's highlight

2009-10-30T07:29:00.000-07:00

My senior year has finally come and I can’t believe how fast time is flying. I remember looking back to high school and thinking how many more years until I graduate. It seemed like time moved so slowly. Now, I am almost done with my fall quarter already, and I feel like time is moving so quickly that it is hard to keep up. I have always been told that college would be done before I knew it, and still to my surprise, it is almost over.

The highlight of the year thus far was getting to spend a morning with Tiger Woods on Monday during President’s Cup week. It was 7am and the team was about to have another productive morning practice session. The coaches were a little late that morning and the team knew that something had to be going on. We thought that maybe they were playing a prank on us or watching from a distance to see what our reactions were. Sure enough, Coach Ray came flying towards us from the far end of the new practice facility with someone sitting next to him in the golf cart.

To the teams’ surprise, it was the number one golfer in the world and perhaps one of the best (if not the best) athletes of all time. An experience like this would only be possible at Stanford. Tiger had a chipping contest with us and played a few holes on the facility with us. As serious golfers, getting to spend a morning with Tiger Woods is without question like a dream come true. Furthermore, this is a memory that I will remember for the rest of my life.

The team this year is quite possibly the deepest team I have played on in my years at Stanford thus far. I am very excited for the chance to compete for the national championship this year, because I promise you there is no team in the country that is more ready to take home the national championship! We are working hard, and I feel like everyone on the team is on the same page with regards to what is will take to achieve our team goals. Please be watching out for us come spring season!

Go Cardinal!

Jordan Cox --- senior

Kemmer named an All-American Scholar for 2008-09

2009-07-15T05:38:00.001-07:00

Recently graduated Dodge Kemmer was named an All-American Scholar for the 2008-09 season. A press release is included below indicating the criteria for selection. A complete list of All-American Scholars for 2008-09 can be found here. | A complete list of all Stanford All-American Scholars and All-Americans can be found here.

NORMAN, Okla. – Cleveland Golf/Srixon All-America Scholars for Divisions I, II and the NAIA have been announced by the GCAA. A total of 108 players in Division I, 37 in Division II and 11 in NAIA earned the honor. Additionally, 17 honorees were added to the previously released Division III Cleveland Golf/Srixon All-America Scholars. To be eligible for Cleveland Golf/Srixon All-America Scholar status an individual must be a junior or senior academically, compete in at least two full years at the collegiate level, participate in 70-percent of his team’s competitive rounds or compete in the NCAA Championships, have a stroke-average under 76.0 in Division I, 78.0 in Division II and NAIA and 79.0 in Division III, and maintain a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 3.2 in Division I, II and III and 3.5 in NAIA. A recipient must also be of high moral character and be in good standing at his college or university.

Summer tournament results for Ziegler, Chung, Kim, Kemmer & Kearney

2009-07-05T06:23:00.000-07:00

In addition to the great win by David Chung in the prestigious North-South Amateur Championship held at Pinehurst #2, All-American Steve Ziegler advanced to the round of 16 at the British Amateur held June 15-20. Steve now is the 19th ranked amateur in the world.

In other action, recently graduated Dodge Kemmer and incoming freshman Steven Kearney competed in the Sahalee Players Championship. Dodge finished tied for 12th and Steven finished 55th. Meanwhile, after a great start to the summer by Sihwan Kim, he continued his fine play finishing 24th in the Dogwood Invitational.

Results can be found below for the four events.

The British Amateur Championship |
The North-South Amateur Championship at Pinehurst |
http://www.sahaleeplayerschampionship.com/index.htm l
http://www.sahaleeplayerschampionship.com/results/2009/Stroke.html |
http://www.thedogwood.com/scores

Senior co-captain Daniel Lim reflects on his years on the Farm

2009-04-16T06:45:00.000-07:00

I can remember sitting in my house in Gilroy, getting a phone call from coach about my acceptance into Stanford. At the time, Stanford golf was ranked in the top 50 in the country, yet I was excited. I was going to a school that had won every Director's Cup, had players like TIger Woods and Tom Watson as alumi, and excelled in academics and athletics.

I can confidently say that these past 4 years have well exceeded my expectations. Fast foward time and 4 years later, I'm sitting in my dorm room as a senior, co-captain with senior Dodge Kemmer of a top 5 ranked Golf team, with the potential of contending for a national championship. Much has changed both for me and the program, and it has been an amazing journey.

I have a NCAA championship ring sitting in my room and a picture with then President of the United States, sitting on top of my fire place, a luxury given only to those who win the national championship every year in their sport. I have learned much about me and the game that I love.

But more importantly, it is the experiences with my teammates that stay with me the most. I can remember my freshmen year duties, frustrated at loading and and unloading the van and now, I continue the tradition from a different angle, bossing David Chung. I remember my sophmore year shooting 66 during qualifying only to find out that I was in 5th place behind Miller and Savage's 64. And now senior year, with my last US Intercollegiate at Stanford on the horizon, I practice harder and dream of defending what Coach Ray annually calls our "home turf".

But, it is not alone. Like yesterday, with weather.com warning of high winds, up to 46 miles per hour, there were my teammates. David Chung was hitting his 8 iron about 100 yards, Sihwan was hitting shots that went backwards for fun, Steve Ziegler was out enjoying himself with ear muffs, while both Dodge and Joe were hitting their 9 irons probably 200 yards at the other end of the driving range. I can't wait to see what happens this weekend and importantly, what awaits us in May and June.

Win on three boys.....Win

GO STANFORD

Daniel Lim

Joseph Bramlett writes about his team and his frustrating injury

2009-03-12T10:07:00.001-07:00

Click on image to enlarge.

Joseph Bramlett, now a junior fighting an injury, was 2nd team All-American as a freshman. Joseph had the lowest stroke average on the team before his injury. He writes about his team and his injury. He was recently featured in an ESPN article.

"With daylight savings behind us the spring season is now in full force and Stanford golf is right on track. Watching the guys win in a dominant fashion two weeks ago was nearly as exciting as being there myself. Ziggy’s huge finish down the stretch making birdies on a tough course to win the individual title and run away with the team title is just another push forward for us as a team. At one point in the final round we had five golfers in the top ten which goes to show the depth that were starting to find as a team again. We have been working hard all year and we can feel that it is finally starting to click.

For me personally it has been a very trying quarter. I injured my wrist during finals week of fall quarter and have been unable to get back to practicing yet. It has been frustrating at times, however with the physical limitations that have been placed on me I have tried to grow in other ways. I’ve found things in my game that I can work on without a club and hopefully make my transition back into playing a little bit easier and faster. I definitely learned a lot about returning after an injury last year and although there is nothing enjoyable about not being able to play, I am extremely motivated and excited to get the chance to play again. It’s amazing how many people take this game for granted and my appreciation and love for the game has definitely grown.

Seeing the guys play so well and the momentum that comes with it makes me want to get back even faster. Hopefully the guys can keep up the good work and I will be able to help them out a little down the closing stretch of the season. I’m trying to stay patient, as everyone has reminded me, and hopefully come April and May this will pay off."
Joseph Bramlett

All Cardinal fans are pulling for Joseph to fully recover from his injury and return to the links again soon!

Jordan Cox shares an experience "I will remember for the rest of my life"

2009-02-19T06:42:00.000-08:00

Hi, my name is Jordan Cox and I am a junior. It is hard for me to believe that three years have already passed by because it seems like just yesterday that I was signing my letter of intent to come to Stanford.

I would like to share with you one of my experiences from this quarter that I will remember for the rest of my life. It was 7:00am on Sunday morning (Sunday is typically the teams day to relax or practice on our own or catch up in school) and the team rallied for an all-day practice session. This was not official team practice organized by Coach Ray and Coach Tight. This was a collective group of 8 men showing their passion for golf and dedication to each other.

The weather that day was terrible. It was freezing outside, raining, and extremely windy. Yes, the team could have been sleeping in the warm comfort of their beds that day, but instead we were out in the elements trying to improve our games on a day where most other teams around the country are probably doing nothing. We practiced from sun up to sun down, but there was a moment around 4 o'clock when I stopped what I was doing to take a breather. All 8 guys were on or around a single putting green on the new facility. The rain was coming down harder than it had been all day and wind was blowing so hard that it was making the rain come down sideways.

It was that very moment when I looked up to see 8 guys grinding on their games, continuing to push through the elements, and refusing to give up. This was a day that sets Stanford golf apart from every other school around the country and made me even more proud to wear that Stanford "S" on my chest. I feel like the team has really come together and all 8 guys are collectively working together to achieve the goal of winning that NCAA championship. It was a day like this that reaffirms my decision that coming to Stanford and playing on the golf team was one of the best decisions I have ever made in
my life.

The team is working harder than ever and I am excited to see what happens as our season progresses and NCAA's get closer. Go Cardinal!
Jordan Cox

Dodge Kemmer provides a unique perspective on the team's Big Island adventures

2009-02-13T12:55:00.000-08:00

Here's a photo of co-captains Dodge and Daniel with Hal Gogger and Sukey Grousbeck.

Senior co-captain Dodge Kemmer's Hawaii blog:

When Coach pulled out about 20 yards of yellow nylon cord from his travel bag, we knew we were in trouble. Luckily, he didn’t make us pull the mini-van to the house to save money on gas because “the budget is tight boys.” But we did leave the fate of our week up to friction and the trust that Coach wouldn’t hit the brakes as hard as he is known to do. After some brainstorming, stacking, roping, securing, and unnecessary manly displays of force from coach and Ziegler, not to mention stares of disbelief from our Korean core and the rest of the airport traffic, we managed to load 6 golf carry bags on top of a sans-luggage rack minivan. We were off. During our pre-week Costco run, Coach, Sihwan, and I debated whether we should get any protein shakes or not; we compromised and got two 30-packs.

It wasn’t long after we arrived at the Grousbeck’s beautiful house overlooking the ocean that we were on our way to the beach. Ziegler gave everyone football throwing lessons but then was sidelined when he lost his contact in the ocean and somehow couldn’t find it even an hour later. Sihwan and I were afraid to tell him that he probably wouldn’t find it, but enjoyed witnessing the search. (It turned out that he lost his sunglasses, not his contact.) This trip also marked the inaugural ocean-football game, in which Lim and I dominated Sihwan and Chung by some ungodly margin. It wasn’t the last we would see of that pair though. After the final round, Coach joined the losing team and we got Ziegler. Ignoring the rush count, Coach barreled toward the endzone as soon as he hiked the ball. It took Steve on one leg, me on an arm, and Lim jumping on his back to take him down.

We also played golf during our stay. The tournament wasn’t much to write home about save the strongest wind I’ve ever played in (which is usually significant in Kansas), a good showing by Steve (t7) and a great last round by our freshman Chung. I must admit, it is hard to not enjoy yourself when you are looking around on every green trying to determine where the ocean is in relation to the Mauna Kea volcano; I’ve had less spectacular landmarks to note.

And so we returned, our skin a few shades darker, our spirits a few pegs higher, and our grades a few points lower, dreading the return to real life.
Dodge Kemmer

Sophomore Steve Ziegler on preparation for the next NCAA title!

2008-11-10T06:27:00.000-08:00

Editor's Note - this blog by Steve Ziegler was written prior to the Isleworth tournament in Florida.

I arrived at Stanford on September 8th with the kind of excitement a kid would have if he was reuniting with all his friends at Disney World. I remember how giddy I felt but I also remember the underlying anxiety, the anticipation of competition soon to come much like the jitters you get on the first tee of a significant golf round.

I was eager to get started with everything-qualifying rounds, workouts, classes-again because I remember my experience here last year as overwhelmingly enjoyable. There’s an elevated pride that coincides with carrying a Stanford bag due to the great success the program had not just in 2007, but ever since 1942 when Sandy Tatum and company won the 1942 NCAA Title. In a way, those who have preceded us at Stanford Golf make our effort much more worth it, because we are validating their success. Stanford has an exceptional golfing history as many well know, and this has paved the way for championship aspirations again this fall.

Focusing on the National Championship from the moment you arrive is something our entire team has come to embrace. However, the road to the championship begins long before May.

We made our debut in mid-September at Olympia Fields in Chicago. The tournament was a real treat with a strong field and a very difficult course. Unfortunately, we made too many mistakes to come out on top, finishing fourth behind the likes of Illinois, Indiana, and Oklahoma State. Our next tournament was held a couple weeks later in Palm Springs at the Norman Course of famed PGA West. We had four members of the team finish in the top-15, but unfortunately once again were unable to come out with a win, finishing third behind impressive showings from TCU and UC Davis.

We’re currently preparing for our next tournament to be held Oct. 26-28th at Isleworth C.C. in Orlando, Florida. Talking with the guys, I get a heightened sense of excitement despite the prior sub-mediocre finishes, because we’re just waiting for our “impressive finish.” It’s like Coach Ray told the guys the other day, “I’m just waiting for you guys to put on a show.” This is so true, and we’ve seen a show of great golf in qualifying rounds and practice all year. We’re just waiting to display it nationally.

Only a handful of golf programs in the country can say, “With enough discipline, focus, and a little luck, we have a legitimate shot at winning NCAA’s come May.” What’s exciting about Stanford golf, at least since I’ve been here, is we are one of those programs year in and year out. We have the right people in place to prolong this success so when all of us are long gone, Stanford will still be challenging the nation’s best for national titles.

It’s amazing how quickly the days pass in retrospect; it feels like I arrived yesterday. I believe this is a testament to how busy we are, but more importantly see it as an indicator of how much fun this team has. We’re chasing championship dreams together, and we’re having a blast doing it. This is a rarity, but luckily our team is certainly capable.

Steve Ziegler

Sophomore Graham Brockington talks about the upcoming season & his injury

2008-10-20T09:20:00.000-07:00

After losing to UCLA by one shot at nationals last year we all left campus with a bad taste in our mouths. However, coming back to campus and seeing all of my teammates again is a great and exciting feeling. We are all even hungrier for the title this year than we were last year.

For me, the prospect of playing golf again and playing well is really exciting. At the end of last year I dislocated my middle finger and had to have surgery that kept me away from golf until August. I had to wear a splint in order to keep that finger straight and in turn, spent most of the summer trying to figure out why people kept giving me such nasty looks as I drove on the highway holding my middle finger up in the air. Now that I am healthy I am enjoying competing with the guys. As excited as I was to arrive here last year, I like it here even more now that I am a sophomore and am much more comfortable with school, golf, and the surrounding area.

My goal was to come in to school and qualify to play in the first tournament in Chicago. Unfortunately I fell short of qualifying, however I got better every round and if it weren’t for one bad round I may have qualified.

While we were disappointed with our finishes in Chicago and Palm Springs, I still feel great about the potential of our team, especially with Joe Bramlett back. He gives our team a huge lift on and off the course and I look for him to have a great season.

This season I look forward to improving even more than last year and to hopefully contribute more and more to the team as the season progresses. I am just trying to make the most out of my time here and to learn something new every day. I know it is only October but I can’t wait to see what June has in store for us.

Graham Brockington, Sophomore

Freshman Wilson Bowen talks about his first weeks at Stanford

2008-10-06T07:02:00.000-07:00

Editor's Note: Wilson Bowen is a Freshman from Winnetka, IL. He won the 2007 AJGA Cleveland Junior Championship
and finished fourth in 2006 and 2007 at the Illinois State High School Golf Championship. Above photo courtesy of Stanford Athletics.

"I’ve had a great first couple weeks at Stanford. This really is the best place to play college golf. Just in the last week we've been lucky enough to play the Peninsula Club, the California Club, and San Francisco Golf Club, all of which are incredible courses. Special thanks to all of the alumni who made this possible. The alumni support here at Stanford is remarkable. We had a great turnout at the Cardinal Classic and I really enjoyed playing with Mr. and Mrs. Gifford and their guests. They were even able to take home some hardware as our team shot a ridiculous 28 under par 42.

Our newly opened facility, The Siebel Varsity Training Center, is incredible, and definitely one of the premier facilities in the world. Our alumni once again went above and beyond to put us in the best possible situation to succeed. The Siebel Center provides us with limitless opportunities for practice and improvement, and I look forward to spending many days and practice sessions working around the facility. We’ve had some great practices out there and I know that we’ll be able to maximize our practice and improvement with this new tool.

I’ve really enjoyed getting to know my teammates. We have a great group of guys this year and a lot of camaraderie. We are a team in the truest sense of the word. My teammates have done all they can to make sure that my transition to college life goes smoothly, and I look forward to competing and working with them for the remainder of the year. We have an incredibly talented and deep squad, and I know that with some hard work we can accomplish some special things this year. We’ve been playing some great golf lately and I’m excited to see how we’ll play at The Prestige next week. Go Card!"

Wilson Bowen, Freshman

Freshman David Chung writes about his first college tournament

2008-09-25T16:00:00.000-07:00

Freshman David Chung, after a steller junior career, writes about his first college tournament experience playing in the Illini Invitational at Olympia Fields.

"My first tournament was a great experience. It started when we met at the golf course parking lot to head to the airport. Those that weren’t traveling showed up to send us off and those of us that were traveling suited up in our blue blazers and Stanford ties, gathered our bags, and drove off.

The plane ride to Chicago went smoothly and we checked into a nearby hotel for some rest. The next day played at Chicago Golf Club for a fun round. Chicago Golf Club is one of those clubs that is so exclusive that it is only recognizable from the road by a computer screen sized metal plate that simply states CHICAGO GOLF CLUB and is listed on a GPS navigation system not as Golf Club Drive or Masters Lane as some are golf clubs are; instead, the GPS voice tells you to turn into alley to get to Chicago Golf Club.

We were lucky enough to get invited because Mr. Grube, the father of former Stanford golfer Rob Grube, is a member and was generous enough to invite us to his club for a day of golf and dinner. The course was very difficult but also very enjoyable to play. I had the privilege of playing with Mr. Kinsey, Mr. Gifford, Coach Ray and Coach Tight. Coach Ray and I had a fun match which luckily I was able to win.

Following a great time at Chicago Golf Club we drove to a hotel closer to Olympia Fields – where our tournament would be played. The next day I got my first look at the course. Olympia Fields is a course that challenges and tests every aspect of a golfer’s game. It had 7 inch tall rough, narrow fairways, fast undulating greens, and plenty of length.

Friday we started the Fighting Illini Invitational and I got to play my first college round. I got off to a solid opening hole and felt excited and ready to help our team win, but on the second hole after a great drive, my approach shot caromed off the side of a bunker and under a tree root. That unfortunate break would lead to a quadruple bogey and a giant hole for me to come back out of. I would finish the round with very average play and shoot 79. I was very disappointed with my first round but quickly looked for ways to contribute as our team focused on round two.

In round two, Coach Ray followed me and was basically my caddie. It was very helpful to have his input on every shot and also enjoyable to have him by my side. Round two would bring some solid play and more confidence in my driver, but a triple bogey on the 16th hole killed me and led to a 75.

The final round our team was pumped up and ready to finish strong. I was determined to help out our team score and have a good round. I played very solid golf and shot what seemed to me like an easy round of 71. Our team also played solid on the final day and shot a respectable 4-over total for a total of 27 over and 4th place.

We were all disappointed that we didn’t win but we all learned a lot about ourselves, our games, and each other. I feel that we’ve grown a lot as a team already and I’m excited to make 2008-2009 a great season!"

David Chung

Here's David with a touchy downhill chip on 8 at Olympia Fields GC. It ran 4 feet past and left of the hole and he made the par putt.

Great News --- Joseph Bramlett is playing again!

2008-07-30T14:39:00.000-07:00

Editor's Note - Here's an update on rising junior Joseph Bramlett, 2006 2nd team All-American, who was injured for the last 7 months of last season. Although this blog is typically directly written by current players we'll make an exception this time by sharing the first hand experience of a former player.

Former Stanford men's golf team player from the 1970s, Ric Jay (known as Pooh Bear and yes he has won the Stanford club championship a record-tying 10 times), shared this report today on a fellow San Jose Country Club member Joseph Bramlett:

"Played with Joseph and his dad on Friday (July 25th). Joseph ("Pep") is working on his game, playing every day and playing well. His distance is still there, hitting it by my best by 50-60 yards... ! I saw several 310 -330 blasts and all I could say was, "Big deal, let's see you do it with persimmon and balata!"

He said he is taking it easy and being quite careful about his wrist (I think he explained it as strained ligaments/tendons and small bone bruise) and doesn't want to put too much stress on it. He decided to withdraw his entry from the US Amateur because the wear and tear of that many rounds over a short period could prove detrimental to the healing process.

His spirits are high and he is looking forward to Stanford golf this fall."

Cheers,

Poo Bear

Joseph Bramlett - Winter Quarter

2008-04-29T10:34:00.000-07:00

The winter quarter has gotten off to a great start for our team. We came back from winter break and went straight into workouts and then began qualifying on January 21st. Our team went to Hawaii and successfully defended our title from last year. We went winless in the fall, but fortunately the guys got rid of that burden and we proved to ourselves that we have everything we had last year in our National Championship Year. We have all been itching to start the spring season and we are ready to keep this momentum going all the way to Purdue.

We have acknowledged as a team what we need to work on and everyone has certain things that they can do to help the team as a whole. Individually we still have a lot of things to work on, but we have gained a lot of experience from the start of the year. I think it is huge for us that everyone on our team knows what it feels like to win and we will definitely be using that as motivation for the rest of the year.

Personally I have some work to do to get myself in shape to help the team in terms of golf. I injured my wrist earlier in the quarter during workouts and have been going to therapy and allowing my wrist time to heal so that I can hopefully get back on the course. Its hard to say how long it will take but hopefully I'll be back soon.

Rob Grube on Winter Break

2008-04-17T09:52:00.000-07:00

The winter break ushered in a welcome break from traveling and time for reflection on the fall season. Most teams would have been pleased with our fall season. After two seconds, some very good play from freshman Sihwan Kim, and a ninth place ranking, most teams would have said -- good start. Not us. Upon reflection, we were dissapointed with our fall season and itching to get back on the right course in the spring. We remain committed to winning every tournament, being ranked number one, and winning a national championship. With our deep pool of talent, anything less would be underachieving.

Our first tournament in Hawaii was the start for which we were looking. We won the tournament against some very highly ranked teams like ASU, Georgia Tech, and USC. Our second round displayed our immense talent and depth. We shot 17 under, the lowest team round by eight for the tournament.

Looking forward, our task remains translating our talent into results. In order to do this, we are focusing our attention in the weight room, on the driving range, and on the course to achieve these goals. If we work harder than anyother team, then I am convinced we will see our goals become a reality -- like we did last year.

Should be a great spring!

Matt Kennerknecht's Freshman Winter Quarter

2008-03-19T09:17:00.000-07:00

The cliche, “no pain, no gain,” is an oversimplified way of summarizing the winter quarter in my freshman year at Stanford. With 18 units of class, time in the gym almost every day, and plenty of golf to fill up my afternoons, free time is almost non-existent. At first glance, my schedule is a grind, to say the least. Time management, something that I’ve always prided myself on, is now a whole new ball game; operating on a day-to-day basis seemed to be the only way to tackle all this, starting out in early January, but I soon discovered that success was going to require a whole different level of commitment and planning. More than half-way finished, though, I can say that I’m in the best shape of my life, closer and closer to a performance breakthrough, and working as productively and efficiently as I ever have in school. The work is paying off tremendously, and I’m learning more about myself every day as a student, as an athlete, and as a person. Friends and family from home, over a recent long weekend, have commented on how much I’ve matured in just the last eight weeks. This, I’m learning, is why people come to Stanford. Students, alumni, and faculty alike, hold themselves to almost unrealistic expectations, and push until they get there. They harbor an unmatched level of motivation, constantly raising the bar for those around them. Just within the golf program, I’m fortunate to be surrounded by some of the best players, best coaches, and hardest working student-athletes in the country; with a little over three months left until finals in June, I can’t wait to see where I am after just one year at Stanford.

Graham Brockington on 1st Quarter at Stanford

2008-03-06T10:35:00.000-08:00

Now that I have one quarter here at Stanford under my belt, I am feeling much more comfortable here and am really beginning to enjoy my time even more than I did last quarter. Now I know a full fifth of the campus and don't need to look at my map to get to every class!

I had a good winter break at home with my family and got to see some of my old friends. But now I am really happy to be back on the farm in new classes and to be back with the team. What I am especially looking forward to are the upcoming qualifying rounds and the chance to get into the team lineup and play in some tournaments. Since the team won the first tournament after coming back from winter break, I think that we are all even more pumped to keep up the good play and continue to win. Go Card!

Freshman Steve Ziegler on just missing qualifying

2008-01-20T21:09:00.000-08:00

I arrived at Stanford and was immediately thrown into the new experience of being a collegiate student-athlete. I still remember how I felt excited, scared, anxious, and curious I was to see how the schoolwork and the golf would be.
At our first practice I remember playing a bunker game with Daniel and Joseph where we had to land our ball on golf towels laid out at various distances. We had to hit each towel a certain number of times before we could leave. Daniel and Joseph both finished the drill when I was approximately half way done. Immediately I became frustrated I was behind, but I ground it out and finally finished the drill. I remarked on how close I was getting to the towels and how I was inches away from finishing the drill much sooner. Daniel turned to me with a straight face and said, “Well, get better Ziegler!” but he couldn’t hold his serious face for long and let out a big grin. We laughed and I brushed it off, but then again there was some merit to his statement.
The season progressed and I was routinely one spot on the wrong side of every cut. At practice, we’d primarily play games around the green where the worst three out of nine guys would receive extra biking with coach after our already killer workouts. The first couple of times I thought I played well just to find myself in the seventh spot. Similarly, in qualifying a lot of times I ended up one or two strokes away from filling out the team (the one that hurt the most was missing going to Isleworth by one shot and thus missing hanging with Tiger for a couple days). I guess Lim was right, I needed to get better.
I finally got my first chance to play in a tournament at PGA West in Palm Springs. I’ll never forget how nervous I was for the front nine of that tournament. I have played a lot of tournament golf before but I was tight as a drum; I couldn’t put a swing on the ball I made a quadruple-bogey on my eighth hole and played my first nine in nine over par! However, I pulled it together and finished four under on my second nine for a sensational 77. I played well the rest of the week and everything turned out to be ok.
Another memorable round was during qualifying to go to Cordevalle. I was tied with Daniel after two rounds so it came down to a heads-up match at the Peninsula Club. For one of the few rounds of the season, I got my putter working and ended up shooting 66 (Daniel shot 71) It was a gratifying feeling no doubt to pull off a good round when I needed it. In hindsight, as we were shaking hands I should have told Daniel that I was just listening to his advice.
Steve Ziegler

Jordan Cox on his motivated teammates

2008-01-12T07:15:00.000-08:00

This fall quarter was my most enjoyable golf experience at Stanford thus far. To say that I wasn’t disappointed not to have a team win would be far from the truth; however, winning isn’t everything in a golf. Getting to know the 4 new freshmen and interacting with the team this past quarter was awesome. The great part about this team is that aside from having one of the best teams in the country, we have a group of motivated individuals who are genuinely great people.

The team traveled to Japan, Chicago, Palm Springs, Florida, and San Jose, California. What can be better than getting to travel the country to play golf with good friends and getting a Stanford education on top of that? In my opinion aren’t too many things better in life. To add to the fun, the guys on this team are some of the most competitive people I have ever met in my life. This is great because it pushes everyone on the team to constantly get better. In practice, on the golf course, and even in the weight room, the guys on the team are always trying to one up each other. It has helped my game in a large way and I am now playing some of the best golf of my life.

I would have to say that the most memorable experience this fall was traveling to Sonoma with the team and playing Mayacama golf club. This was amazing because we got to play Mayacama, one of the most beautiful golf courses in northern California, and everyone of the team spent several days together doing what we love the most. Golf! I think this trip is one of the reasons why the team bonded to well so early in the season and is going to be an event that helped ump start a successful season. Essentially we were living together and doing absolutely everything together. It will go down as one of my favorite golf trips at Stanford without a doubt. It is a privilege to be a part of the Stanford golf team, and I wear the block “S” on my chest with pride. Go Cardinal!

Jordan Cox, sophomore

Freshman Sihwan Kim on his Fall season

2008-01-02T06:34:00.000-08:00

When I first heard that I’m going to Japan for Topy Cup, I was super pump up to play in collegiate tournament for the first time. I didn’t quite know what to do after the announcement but to practice hard as I can to help my team out to win the tournament oversea. We fought hard in Japan, all of us grinded to get that first victory of the year. Although we finished 3rd in the field, I thought we did pretty well with all that pressure on top of us as defending NCAA Champions. We had a lot of fun over at Japan during and after the tournament and that will forever be in my memory.
My first work out was a total disaster. We did 300 yard shuttles 3 times and I was gone. I couldn’t walk for four days straight after that and I played one of the worst rounds of the year. The second work out was even more disastrous. We did 1000 YARD SUICIDES TWICE!!!!! I never felt more physically challenged in my life and my heart was about to burst out of my body. My body felt heavy all that weak. I still have a lot of trouble with work outs in the morning. But I’m super excited and happy that I’m getting stronger every second I work out in the morning.

The best part about the Stanford Men’s Golf team is its members. Coach Ray, Coach Tight, Grube, Dodge, Lim, Cox, JB, Zigs, Graham, Sultan and Me. It is a lot fun to play with these guys because they all have different playing styles and personalities on the golf course. When we go to tournaments, we support each other a lot. We pump each other up on the golf course and in the team meeting. It is just amazing what a team can do with your mind set. I personally think that I become very positive around the team.

Freshman, Sihwan Kim

Junior Daniel Lim on his Fall experiences

2007-12-21T09:39:00.000-08:00

For me, the season with the Stanford men's golf team started out with
an exciting trip to Japan. It was great to see my old teammates again,
joking with them, giving them a hard time, especially the new
freshmen and in particular Sihwan Kim. The atmosphere in the beginning is always different and challenging because of new faces, but I knew Sihwan from
earlier days so he was able to fit right in with the team.

Besides watching Spiderman 3 twice and Fantastic Four a couple times, the
plane ride to Japan was tiring, yet exciting. For this tournament, the
highlight of my round was birdieing four holes in a row to contribute
to the team and put our team in position to win. It's moments like
these, where I fight for the team and seeing others fight for the team
as well, that makes being apart of Stanford men's golf fun. Not only
are you rewarded with the satisfaction of playing well, but your
teammates appreciate the effort ten times more.

The other moment that parallels this experience is when Graham and I teamed up in a short-game competition on the putting green. Six tees were set up to a small hole and the team took turn at each tee trying to make the put. If one
person missed, the team would have to start over from the beginning.
Time proved that going last as a good thing, and we were lucky enough
to be in that position. After seeing many teams show much frustration,
Graham and I pumped each other up convincing ourselves we'd to the
best and to stay patient. When the last put fell in only one turn
without any failure, a perfect score, Graham and I not only
congratulated each other, put the it pumped our team up as well, due
to the showcase of support and approval.

In all, this fall has been great with lots of hard work from each team member. We've grown together as a team and learned to lean on each other because of our own individual strengths, whether it's Grube's leadership for golf,
Graham's dry humor at early morning workouts, Sihwan's passion for his
biceps during extra workouts, or talking to the love doctor Dr. Kemmer
about girls.

Living with Jordan Cox has been enjoyable as well, as we've grown from rivals in high school, to teammates, to friends. Besides waking each other for workouts, I enjoy talking about life and school with him.

Daniel Lim

Dodge Kemmer's most memorable fall

2007-12-13T09:19:00.000-08:00

My third fall season has flown by, much like the first two, but this was undoubtedly the most memorable. We kicked off the season by flying to Japan and playing in the Topy Cup collegiate tournament there. While our performance in the tournament did not meet our standards, the rest of the trip was unforgettable. From eating more McDonalds than I ever have here (ask Coach) to climbing the Tokyo tower and seeing downtown Tokyo for 20 miles every way to watching the bullet train fly past at 150mph only 15 feet away from us, Japan captured the distinction of my favorite college trip.
The rest of the season was no less surreal. In Palm Springs we stayed at every 8-65 year old guys’ dream house, equipped with bowling alleys and theatres to watch football, and in Orlando we spent two hours at Tiger’s house wondering how his 3rd Claret Jug didn’t fall off his mantle because it was too full of trophies.
While we played well nearly every tournament, we couldn’t figure out a way to bring home a victory. Two 2nd place finishes have made us that much more hungry—we know we have the ability to dominate college golf, and I believe it is only a matter of time.

Dodge Kemmer

Joseph Bramlett on CordeValle tourney

2007-12-04T08:06:00.000-08:00

Going into the CordeValle Collegiate our team had yet to win a tournament, but had come a long way since the beginning of the season. The first few tournaments we played, our execution on the course was not very good and our scores and finishes showed. We were still trying to come together as a team and figure out how to play three solid rounds together. The freshmen were trying to get accustomed to college golf and the returners were trying to figure out what we were missing from the previous year's success. As CordeValle approached it was clear that our chemistry was coming together and we were regaining the same feelings that we had the year before. Morning workouts became more intense and afternoon practices were more focused. We were getting used to playing together and our team unity was taking huge strides. CordeValle, we felt, was the perfect place for us to return to our winning ways.
Although we were unable to defend our title at CordeValle we gained a lot of confidence and experience that will pay off during the spring season. Sihwan got his first college victory under his belt, Steve played his first college event representing the team, Jordan had his best finish in a college event, and we came together a lot more than the first couple of events. Steve and I went out first in the final round and the first tee shot was the most pumped up I had been at any point in the fall. We were twelve shots out of the lead, but I could feel that everyone on our team knew we could win and that UCLA was going to have to play really solid to beat us. CordeValle was a huge step for us in our process that will give us another chance to win a NCAA championship.

Joseph Bramlett

Captain Rob Grube on the start of his senior season

2007-11-26T06:27:00.000-08:00

Although this fall season was my fourth, it presented a number of new challenges for me. Unlike past years where the predominance of players was upperclassman, this year's team is very bottom heavy. As captain, bringing along our four new freshmen has been a welcome challenge. They have acquitted themselves very well. I have learned a lot about leadership and mentoring.
Last year it seemed we embodied John Wooden's definition of competitive excellence "Delivering your best, when your best is needed most." At every tournament somebody came up with a big round when we needed it most. We were very seasoned and experienced. At times this year we have played like a young team. We did not know how to play as a team. However, our team matured dramatically over the fall season. Look for our immense reservoir of talent to translate into results in the spring.
Individually, I have struggled with my putting. I have made great improvements in both my ball striking and short game. My putting has prevented me from reaping the rewards of an improved long and short game. I will be working very hard during this off-season to rectify this problem. Once I get my putting going, I will see the results for which we are all looking.

Rob Grube, Senior

A growing experience for freshman Matt Kennerknecht

2007-11-19T10:04:00.000-08:00

My first fall has been an awesome experience. Some of it is still a little hard to believe, but looking back, I would relate it most to a session we had with one of the psychology professors, who wrote on the "fixed" vs. "growth" mindset. Basically, a person with a fixed mindset is one that lives in the results, never accepts failure, and worries an unreasonable amount about how others will judge and perceive him/her; on the other hand, a person with a growth mindset is one that embraces struggles and challenges, and sees failure as progress, realizing that without struggles and failure, you can never have true success. Coming in as a freshman, I definitely had a lot to learn and a lot of room to grow. My standards in school, golf, and fitness were all raised to a new level, ones that I never guessed I would find in such a short period of time. Along with this process came great struggles and a more than a few failures - 7 a.m. workouts that blindsided me with a new level of difficulty every week, pushing me to the point of total exhaustion; swing changes that put me, for a short period, at a great disadvantage, trying to compete amongst the best team in the country; and seemingly insurmountable schoolwork and time restraints, with such a busy season right out of the shoot.

Now that it's finished, I can look back and be proud of it all. As many times as I felt like I wasn't going to make it through running, as many times as I stood over a shot, playing against my teammates in qualifying, grip in a weird position not knowing where the ball was going to go, I made it through everything. Never giving up and always being there on time, with the right attitude and the right mindset, is to me, a huge accomplishment. Now that I know the ropes a little bit, Stanford golf will still be a grind, always on my toes and always in competition, but at least I'll know not to be afraid, and not to worry about whether I'm going to make it, because the hard part is over and now it's just hard work. Traveling to my first tournament in Palm Springs was a great experience within the experience, and now I have an even better idea of where I need to go, and with this team and these coaches, I know I have the resources to get there. I've gotten closer with a lot of my teammates, and that bonding is a fundamental part, I feel, of this experience and the team's success. I'll continue to work on team dynamic and hopefully grow a little closer every week with these 8 other guys and our two coaches.

I've met some amazing people this fall. Like I said, this whole experience has been a little surreal. Coming from the east coast, I have an opportunity at Stanford to play some of the best courses in the world, ones that seemed so far off (literally) when I was on the other side of the country. Just last weekend, we got to go down as a team early Sunday morning and play Spyglass Hill. Playing on the Monterey Peninsula has been a dream ever since I started playing the game, listening to the life-lasting memories and stories my dad told me from his few cherished trips with his golf buddies to play Pebble, staying at the lodge and going around to Poppy Hills and Spyglass, too. In our journeys, and even around campus at the practice facility or up at the course, I've met some of the most brilliant, powerful people in the world, Stanford products that went on to global success in business, etc. I've also met a few celebrities, as to be expected on the west coast. Being a member of this team, I feel so spoiled a lot of the time. These people, the places we go, the treatment we get. I was on a cloud for the first few weeks, and still now whenever something special happens, I can't help but smile and think, "wow, there's something that doesn't happen every day." I know there's only more to come, and I couldn't be more proud and more honored to be a part of this prestigious program, surrounded by some of the best players and the most powerful minds in the world.

Matt Kennerknecht, Freshman- Matt's golf team webpage

Player's Share Their Experiences

2007-08-20T07:20:00.001-07:00

This blog will be written by the Stanford Men's Golf Team players. A different player each week during the season will write a few paragraphs about whatever topic they want to share.