[Bob_Huntley]

A number of years ago I wrote to a young friend,  a crackerjack collegiate player, who had elected to forego a sure spot on the Walker Cup team to represent his university in the NCAA Championships. My point was that a place in golfing history was assured by playing in the former, I am not sure about the latter.

He pointed out that he owed it to his coach and Alma Mater.

What think you?

Bob

[Patrick_Mucci]

Bob,

Representing your country would seem to be a higher calling.

But, life is all about decisions, and, he made his.

[Tim Bert]

If he was part of the team and felt as if he had a prior commitment I can respect that decision.  College sports could stand to benefit from that kind of loyalty these days.

I'd hate to learn that the decision were influenced by the coach, but if he came to the conclusion on his own then I say good for him.

[Peter Pallotta]

What an interesting story, Bob.

Who can ever know what's in another man's heart; for all I know, your young friend might've been afraid of the bigger stage.

But my impression is that he was a young man of unusual maturity and integrity, and one not afraid to face and make the difficult decisions.

I hope that's true, and that those qualities have served him well, and that he has no regrets.

Peter

[John Moore II]

Pat--yes, in most cases I would say that the calling to represent your country would be the greater calling, but in this case, he had all ready been called to represent his school. I would have chosen loyalty to my school as well.

[Phil McDade]

Bob:

I find no problem at all with the young man choosing to represent his school.

Small semi-off-topic observation: As one somewhat closely involved in high school athletics. I've noted a disturbing trend in high school athletes choosing to forego interscholastic athletics and instead opting to play for their local "club" team, which often travels around the state and even region, competing against similar club teams. I've found and heard that they are often encouraged to do so by club coaches, with subtle undertones that high school athletics are holding back the young athletes' development. It's a growing trend in sports such as soccer, swimming, volleyball, track and field, and -- yes -- golf. I find the practice repugnant, in all honesty.

The other night, I attended a local high school girls soccer game with my family held between my local high school and a neighboring high school. The two schools are separated by a municipal boundary, but sit within a half-mile of each other. Several of the best players on each squad grew up playing on the same local recreational soccer team, and are of the caliber that they could go off and play for a local club team and forego high school athletics. Instead, they chose to play for, and represent, their local school -- and by extension their school colleagues and communities. The game was hard-fought, cleanly played, with sportsmanship on ample display by both sides. About 100 of us on a cold and blustery Friday night watched it. To me, it was the epitome of what high school athletics ought to represent, and at its best, does.

We have several folks involved in high school athletics (Stan Dodd comes to mind) who post regularly on the board. I don't mean to hi-jack this thread (apologies if I've done so), but I wonder about their thoughts on this.

[Jim Sweeney]

I think he would not have to choose today. The NCAA is in May, the Walker Cup in September. The NCAA grants an exemption from the restriction on tournament days during the school year for certain international competitions such as the Walker Cup and the World Amateur Team. The exemption does not apply to other team events such as the USGA State Team Championship.

Bob, from your post I must assume that by playing in the NCAA Championship then player gave up the opportunity to play in an event which is important to the Walker Cup selection process, or it conflicted with the Walker Cup practice sessions, which have become important to the process. I don't know what happened in the past, but that conflict would not happen today.

I cannot say I would have made the same choice. The Walker Cup is the pinnacle of any amateur's career, a much higher achivievement than even an NCAA championship. I know a lot of college coaches, and not one of them would ask a player to give up a Walker Cup selection. I admire the nobility of the player's decision, but I question whether he let his emotions override the rational choice.

[John Blain]

"The Walker Cup........Is a much higher achievement than even an NCAA Championship....."

Maybe in your opinion but not necessarily in mine.

John

[Joe Bentham]

"The Walker Cup........Is a much higher achievement than even an NCAA Championship....."

Maybe in your opinion but not necessarily in mine.

John

Jim's point I think was that the history books of amateur golf look very kindly on Walker Cup participation.  The place those same books hold for NCAA champs isn't as hallowed...

[Bob_Huntley]

"The Walker Cup........Is a much higher achievement than even an NCAA Championship....."

Maybe in your opinion but not necessarily in mine.

John

JP.

The low man at the NCAA Tournament is one accomplished player but how many people can conjour up the name of an NCAA Champion compared to a member of a Walker Cup team? Not many I vouchsafe.

Bob

[Jim Nugent]

Bob, how has his life turned out since then? 

[Dan Kelly]

I think:

-- There are all sorts of ways to go down in history. Some leave you with your own values intact. Sounds like his did.

-- How in the world can there be a conflict between the NCAA championships and the Walker Cup?

[Tim Gavrich]

I will be playing in the NCAA Championship soon (albeit Division III), so this is a very interesting dilemma to ponder.

I would like to think that I would decide to play for my school.  Chances are that the next person in line for the Walker Cup team would be more likely to have an impact to make up for the void I left than would the next person on my college team.  Furthermore, it may sound idealistic, but I would like to think that those who determine the Walker Cup team would take my allegiance to my school into account should I ever be eligible and possibly deserving of a spot in the future.

I will always be an American, but I'm only a participating General until approximately June 1, 2011...

[Jordan Wall]

Bob,

Once in history, always in history.  I'll take the former.

Cheers,
Jordan

[Mike Sweeney]

Small semi-off-topic observation: As one somewhat closely involved in high school athletics. I've noted a disturbing trend in high school athletes choosing to forego interscholastic athletics and instead opting to play for their local "club" team, which often travels around the state and even region, competing against similar club teams. I've found and heard that they are often encouraged to do so by club coaches, with subtle undertones that high school athletics are holding back the young athletes' development. It's a growing trend in sports such as soccer, swimming, volleyball, track and field, and -- yes -- golf. I find the practice repugnant, in all honesty.

I have a friend who played basketball in the NBA briefly and then for a number of years in Europe. He has a son who was a very good player and obviously was going to grow to his father's size (6' 10"). He was not going to get the right competition against other white kids half his size in coastal Rhode Island. So they sent him to  a Prep School power and he signed with Billy Donovan of the Florida Gators this year as a Junior!

Obviously he was special and they made the right move for him. The problem are the 99 other kids that probably not that gifted and the parents are being sold and they are buying the dream.

I think the sport that does it right is squash. They set up all the kids tournaments in three levels:

Gold - Basically Top 50 players

Silver - Roughly #37 ranked to anyone who is playing competitively and has a ranking

Bronze - Roughly #90 ranked to first time tournament players.

My son now playes comfortably in Silver but started out in Bronze. The problem I have seen with golf is the kids move to a national tournament, lose by 25 strokes to Tiger II and they quit. The Gold, Silver, Bronze allows the kids to play competitively. My son often practices with the #2 player who would destroy him in a match, but he does not have to worry about that for now.

Very few middle schools have a squash team and some high schools have teams but often the best players do not even go to high schools with squash, they just play the weekend tournaments. In addition, some very good players are now playing from
inner city programs and next season the best courts in NYC will be owned by Street Squash in Harlem.

http://www.streetsquash.org/about/streetsquash-center/

US Squash has no hooks into Middle Class families, but they know it and are trying.

To answer the original question, I would throw Boston College right under the bus to play The Walker Cup. Goodness knows we screwed UConn and Syracuse when we moved to The ACC. Let's not kid ourselves, about loyalty in college athletics.

[Kyle Harris]

One can qualify for the Walker Cup for as long as they retain a high level of amateur play.

You get 4 years to play in the NCAAs.

[Mike Sweeney]

One can qualify for the Walker Cup for as long as they retain a high level of amateur play.

You get 4 years to play in the NCAAs.

Kyle,

In this era, if you are good enough to be considered to play on The Walker Cup at age 18-22, you are thinking of turning pro, so that is not really true for 95% of those being considereed.

[Kyle Harris]

One can qualify for the Walker Cup for as long as they retain a high level of amateur play.

You get 4 years to play in the NCAAs.

Kyle,

In this era, if you are good enough to be considered to play on The Walker Cup at age 18-22, you are thinking of turning pro, so that is not really true for 95% of those being considereed.

I had thought of that, and did a search to see how many NCAA Champions have had successful pro careers. I didn't poke too deeply, but Luke Donald was the latest I could find of any note.

[JESII]

A number of years ago I wrote to a young friend,  a crackerjack collegiate player, who had elected to forego a sure spot on the Walker Cup team to represent his university in the NCAA Championships. My point was that a place in golfing history was assured by playing in the former, I am not sure about the latter.

He pointed out that he owed it to his coach and Alma Mater.

What think you?

Bob

Bob,

I think if he had asked the Chancellor and Board of Trustees and his coach it would have been unanimous...not many schools get to send one of their own to represent the country...

Question though...which side would he have been on?

These days, there are about as many GB&I Walker Cuppers in U.S. collegiate programs as there are U.S. guys...but I don't believe Yale has had one for quite some time.

[John Mayhugh]

You have to admire his sense of loyalty to his school and teammates, but I can't imagine them not insisting he play in the Walker Cup instead.

[Phil McDade]

Let's not kid ourselves, about loyalty in college athletics.

[/quote]

Mike:

Doesn't the increasing trend toward not having loyalty to one's school have -- in part, at least  -- its roots in the growing trend of high schoolers not being loyal to their schools and communities?

I agree parents often play a disconcerting role in this.

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

Bob I think you meant God, Country and LSU !!!!!! I agree with Jim that a young man or woman would not be put in that situation today. I find  historically golf attracts character in greater percentages than most sports. The committment to a path as oppssed to the merits of the move seem to be what we are talking about. Cheers and Go Tigers 116 days to kickoff

[Steve Kline]

"The Walker Cup........Is a much higher achievement than even an NCAA Championship....."

Maybe in your opinion but not necessarily in mine.

John

JP.

The low man at the NCAA Tournament is one accomplished player but how many people can conjour up the name of an NCAA Champion compared to a member of a Walker Cup team? Not many I vouchsafe.

Bob

Tiger Woods - after that I am at a loss at naming NCAA champs. But I could name a few Walker members without even having paid attention to the Walker Cup.

[Kyle Harris]

Phil Mickelson, David Duval, Crenshaw or Kite, Luke Donald...

At least I'm fairly certain of those - but could stand correction.

[jeffwarne]

Tiger Woods, Justin Leonard, Charles Howell

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