The Hope College men's golf team will make their first international trip this coming summer by playing some of the best courses in Scotland.
The Hope College men's golf team will make their first international trip this coming summer by playing some of the best courses in Scotland.
The MIAA-champion Flying Dutchmen will play competitive matches, participate in a service project and get in plenty of sightseeing from July 27-August 6.
Hope's athletic program provides student-athletes the opportunity for an international experience on a rotating basis. Also scheduled for this coming summer is the baseball team's partcipation in an international tournament in Prague, The Czech Republic. Other teams in recent years who have traveled abroad include women's and men's basketball, softball, women's and men's soccer, football and volleyball.
Players participating in the trip will include senior Nate Golomb of Schoolcraft, Mich. (Schoolcraft HS); freshman Josh Jelenek of Laingsburg, Mich. (Laingsburg HS); sophomore Don Kring of Williamsburg, Mich. (St. Francis HS); junior Matt Lapham of Brighton, Mich. (Brighton HS); junior Steve Martindale of Midland, Mich. (HH Dow HS); sophomore Don Oumedian of Jenison, Mich. (Jenison HS); sophomore Donald Scholten of Grand Rapids, Mich. (GR Christian HS); junior Ryan Sheets of Saline, Mich. (Saline HS); freshman Steven Strock of Grandville, Mich. (Grandville HS) and junior Tommy Yamaoka of Zeeland (Zeeland HS). The team will be accompanied by coach Bob Ebels.
The team is scheduled to play three competitive matches against Scotish club teams. The matches will be played on some of Scotland's most storied courses including the Prestwick, site of the first British Open. Other courses on the itinerary include the scenic Dunkeld and Birnam Golf Club, the King James VI Golf Club which is one of only two river island courses in the world. The team will visit St. Andrews, the home of golf, and Scotland's Golf Museum. For the service project the team will work at St.Margaret's Hospice facility located near Glasgow.
The Flying Dutchmen captured the championship of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) last fall and will compete in the NCAA Division III national championship tournament later this spring.