Central golf squads announce Scotland trip
PELLA—Fans can join the Central College men’s and women’s golf teams on a memorable journey to the sport’s birthplace with a trip to Scotland May 27-June 5.
The Dutch will fly to Edinburgh, then spend four nights in historic St. Andrews and four in North Berwick. Opportunities for play include St. Andrews Links Eden Course and Jubilee Course, the Crail Golfing Society Balcomie Course, the Glen Golf Club, Dunbar Golf Club, Gullane Golf Club No. 2 and the West Links at North Berwick Golf Club.
“Obviously it’s the home of golf,” men’s coach Mel Blasi said. “Anybody who is a golf enthusiast always looks at Scotland as a bucket-list place. And for our players to be able to go there when actually competing while also learning the history of golf and of Scotland is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I’ve never been there and I think I’m as excited as any of our guys.”
Women’s golf coach Tim Wilkinson noted that Central has maintained a nationally respected study abroad program for more than 50 years and that 55% of Central students have an international experience before they graduate. Central’s football, men’s basketball, men’s and women’s soccer and men’s tennis squads have recently taken international trips. That ethos helped spark the idea for the trip among the Dutch women’s golfers.
“I think it speaks to the fact that our student-athletes want to do more, outside of just being an athlete, and want to take advantage of the opportunities we make available at Central,” he said. “I think they feel supported, both on and off campus to make that happen.”
And Blasi is hopeful that future Dutch squads will have the same chance.
“I think we want to try to establish this as more than just a one-time opportunity,” he said. “I’d like for us to go back again.”
The trip is being organized by Brian Volmer, who has led Scottish tours since 1990 and is the tournament director of the Scotland Junior Golf Invitational. He’s the father of Dutch freshman golfer Aidan Volmer (Anthem, Ariz., Boulder Creek HS).
