Perhaps having a coach really does make a difference. It sure worked in favor for the NCCGA’s 2018 Spring National Champions, Grand Canyon University. Heading into Nationals at Norwood Hills Country Club in St. Louis, Missouri, the Antelopes were on top of the national rankings and felt confident in their chances.

“We were ranked #1 heading into the weekend. We felt good, we were comfortable. ASU was the defending champion and we beat them pretty good this spring so the guys were confident that if we played the way we are supposed to play and the way they expect to play then they would be just fine," said GCU coach John Wasson. 

Wasson has been GCU’s head coach for two years now, and GCU is among very few universities that supply full time coaches for club teams. Coach Wasson spends countless hours searching for more talent that can contribute to the program due to his passion to come back even stronger next season, dominate the desert region, and slide swiftly on through the 2018 Fall Nationals in Myrtle Beach. In his eyes, a strong program will help the GCU Club Golf team gain more publicity at the university, but also beyond the campus, namely to students considering GCU or a university that offers what Coach Wasson provides.

Coach Wasson’s passion benefits the entire club golf community. With increased awareness of what the NCCGA is and how it helps high school students that want to continue playing non-varsity, competitive golf, these high school students will likely consider a school that has a strong club golf program. 

Collegiate, non-varsity golfers have joined their university’s club golf programs nationwide for numerous reasons, from wanting to focus more on studies, getting burnt out from the dedication being on an NCAA team requires, wanting to make friends, to simply wanting to continue competing with others the same age. Like the GCU’s club golf program, any university can grow with no limits, from funding, outreach and recruiting, to becoming larger and more competitive teams.