Soph David Chung writes about his experience on the Farm

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

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

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)