Marquette Golf; Spring Break 2k16
“Take care of your memories. For you cannot relive them.”-Bob Dylan
After I came across that quote from Bob Dylan it had me thinking about my most fond memory so far as a Marquette golfer.
As my mind raced around thinking of my favorite and most fond memories, there was one that stood out more than the rest.
That train of thought lead by back to the spring break trip our team took this past March in San Francisco, California.
As far as golf trips goes this one is by far the most amazing one of my life. One that may never be beaten in the future.
The most special part of the trip wasn’t even the destinations we found ourselves at, although, yes the destinations were incredible.
Rather, there was something even more special, and more meaningful to me. The most special part about our spring break this year was the company and people I shared it with along the way.
While thinking of a word to describe the trip, freshman Oliver Farrell described the whole experience as “’unforgettable’, being able to take a trip like that, and playing the courses we did with my teammates is something I’ll cherish for the rest of my life”.
The courses we played;
TPC Harding Park; 2009 Presidents Cup, 2015 WGC Match play Championship, 2020 PGA Championship, 2025 Presidents Cup.
Pasatiempo Golf Course; The creation of legendary Golf Course Designer Allister McKenzie. McKenzie is most famous for his role in the design of; Augusta National (home of the Masters), Cypress Point, Royal Melbourne, and Royal Troon. Later in his life he built a home off the life on the 6th fairway as Pasatiempo. Pasatiempo takes pride in know that Allister McKenzie often said this was his favorite of all the courses he designed.
San Fransico Golf Club; One of the most exclusive courses in the country, most people don’t even know that it exists. Located on the edge of Lake Merced. Doc Rivers also came out to watch us play a few holes and spend some time with us after we finished our round.
Pebble Beach Golf Links; Rated #1 Public Golf Course in the US year after year. Located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean on the tip of the Monterey Peninsula. Site of 5 US Amateur Championships and 6 US Open Championships. Considered to be one of the most scenic and beautiful golf courses in the world.
Stanford Golf Course; Home of the Stanford Men’s/Women’s golf team (Where Tiger Woods practiced throughout college while he played for Stanford). Top 3 College golf facilities in the country. As a team, we participated in the Stanford Intercollegiate to round off the end to a great trip.
Of all the courses we played throughout our spring break, the overwhelming favorite among our team was Pebble Beach Golf Links.
If you know anything about golf, it is pretty safe to say that you are familiar with Pebble Beach.
Sculpted on the coast of the Pacific Ocean. Pebble Beach is home to some of the most beautiful and recognizable holes in golf. On 16 of the 18 holes, you are either in plain sight of the ocean, or directly playing along the ocean atop steep cliffs hanging over the water.
What we were on the course I saw an abundance of wild life. I saw deer, seals, a sea otter, and a whale. All of which made my first time to the pacific that much more memorable.
Thinking back on it know it almost seems like a big blur. I was so amazed and inspired by everything, I forgot I was on a golf course at times.
I intentionally told myself over and over to ‘take it all in, you’re walking around heaven on earth’. I don’t think I have ever been, nor will I ever be to a more beautiful, and memorable place.
The views, rich history, various championships, and people that have walked those grounds before me is what makes it unimaginable. It impossible to do any justice through words.
I can feel my heart beating through my chest just from reliving the experience in my head and putting it all on paper for the first time.
The smell of fresh cut grass,
The feeling of a cool ocean breeze,
The sound of waves crashing against the faces of cliffs,
The taste of fresh air,
And the feeling of a golf club in my fingers is something that only Pebble Beach can produce with such beauty and correlation.
Those memories in addition to sharing them alongside my teammates is what the sport of golf is all about. It’s not about the score you shoot, or how far you drove it. Rather it’s about experience like I had at Pebble Beach. People spend their whole lives dreaming of walking the grounds of Pebble Beach, let alone play it. I got to do it when I was 20 years old with my teammates and best friends.
Sharing time with your friends or family through the mutual love of game. All while on the beautiful combination of imagination, and Mother Nature we call a golf course.
