One of the first things a person will notice when talking with senior John Robinson for the first time is his friendly demeanor and his soft-spoken character. But get him talking about golf and it all drops away faster than someone can yell “fore.”
John’s passion for golf is easily visible, and perhaps this is why last year, as a junior, he took it upon himself to start up the club golf program.
“There are just so many good golfers who don’t make the varsity team that I decided a golf club would be a good outlet,” Robinson said. “It was hard at first getting people to know about the club, and I’m hoping this year we can get a better turnout.”
Even with the small numbers, Robinson and his partner, Mario Dericco, challenged established teams and made it all the way to nationals in Las Vegas, where they placed 7th. This is where Robinson’s excitement is really evident, as he describes the regional qualifying match in Corvallis last fall.
“We killed them,” he said. “It wasn’t even close. Everyone else had so many people, and it was just me and Mario. We went out and won a few events to start the day and it set us up well for the entire tournament.”
The outlook for this year’s team is even better, as both Robinson and Dericco are returning.
“We have a good shot at the national championship,” Robinson said. “We were only five strokes off last year.”
Wanting to build on that finish at nationals, Robinson is looking for interested individuals to bolster the ranks of the club. Tryouts are Friday at 3:30 p.m. at the Emerald Valley Golf Club in Creswell, a 10-minute drive south of Eugene. Golfers with an 18 handicap and below are encouraged to tryout, as the club looks for serious players looking on competing for a national championship.
The one drawback to the club, noted Robinson, is the cost.
“Four hundred and fifty dollars may sound like a lot, and that’s usually what holds people up, but when you think about how much it costs to play just 18 holes of golf, the year pass easily pays for itself,” Robinson said.
Additionally, entry fees for events are up to the golfers. However, the regional meet, which will be held on Oct. 20 at Pumpkin Ridge, is a scramble format, meaning that the teams are made up of two players and splitting the fee makes it easier on everyone.
For the serious golfer looking for an outlet from the monotonous day of classes and studying, go on to www.golfingbillboard.com to get on the e-mail list for the club.