As the ONU golf team gathers together before the invitational commences, ONU men’s golf player Zach Goodchild walks over to Tim Monroe, and since Monroe’s supportive father was absent from this tournament, Goodchild stepped in and fed Monroe words of emotional wisdom before starting onto the golf course. “My dad gets me in the right mind-set before golf.” Monroe recognizes that being an athlete at ONU requires a lot of commitment. Monroe commented on the subject with “The balance of school and athletics is a delicate balance. I need to strive to be as good as I can for golf, without allowing golf to overload my responsibilities to my studies at ONU.”
He feels support as a student-athlete at Ohio Northern University. Golf is recognized as a personal or individual sport, but this is not so for the men’s golf team at ONU. Monroe mentioned some of his favorite moments are with the golf team, men’s and women’s together. Monroe feels support from his family and also Head Coach Chad Bucci. Tim’s father is a professional golfer, so his dad knows what Tim is facing mentally and physically.
“Last year there was a tournament in Columbus and in the first round, I played badly and I was really down on myself,” Monroe said. “That night, I separated myself from everyone at the hotel and went into my own world for a while, and when I returned to the room, some of my teammates had been to Steak and Shake and knowing that I was upset, played the claw-machine inside of the restaurant. They won a platypus, light brown and about 6 inches long, they told me to keep in my bag the next day, as it was for good luck. I shot well overall and keep it in my bag as a supportive reminder, but more for the fact that I have team support. Now, when I am stressed, I look at the platypus in my golf bag and smile, remembering the wonderful memory and I can move on.”
For Monroe his lowest score is a 67. In competition, his lowest score is a 71. Tim’s average at ONU is a 78.5, placing him third in the lowest scores of men’s golf for ONU. Tim’s season totals so far are in 10.5 rounds with a rounds score of 824 average of a 78.5 with a +10 par. Tim is an asset to the men’s ONU golf team, his stats alone prove it.
As a team in the invitational on day one, the men’s golf team ranked 3rd place and on the second day they ranked 2nd place.
The men’s golf team is strong this season and will continue to grow over the coming years. Monroe foresees the team getting stronger and better through this season and into next season. The team is very excited for the seasons to come for ONU golf.
Monroe says that “The golf team is very excited. Blane Ricketts and Tyler Davis are very strong this season, both captains of the team, and only juniors.”
Bucci said “The ONU administration witnessed the growth responding with now, a new golf room in King-Horn for the ONU golf teams. Being a golf coach now in the OAC for six years, he has a good feel for what the other programs have. For the men’s golf team, they need to manage their game and just play the course. The men’s team should not focus on how the other golfers next to them are playing, play their game,” Bucci said. Just take into consideration that the golf team has grown from 12 players to over a double figure of 28, in just three years. Bucci has been successful in his recruiting methods.
Monroe describes Bucci as “a terrific guy, pretty hands-off, he knows and respects us enough to accept what we are doing on the course.” Monroe also mentioned that “Bucci is very supportive, when he sees the golf team or golf players doing something right, he tells us. He acknowledges that we know what we are doing on the course and he trusts us”.
“The student-athletes represent ONU on and off the golf course. The student-athletes know the name on their golf bags is not what they are playing for, the ONU Polar Bear symbol and name is what they represent.” responded Bucci.
Bucci believes that this culture could translate to success this season for the Polar Bears.
Bucci knows and stated that “The class this season I recruited and the juniors this year have the abilities to win the OAC.” That is the goal overall and Bucci firmly stands by it. Bucci also believes that the student-athletes have come to ONU to get an education. For him and his golf teams, the academics come first and the athletics are second. Bucci also knows that golf is one of the sports that opens doors after college, even if his players currently don’t see the relationship. He uses stories to teach and inspire his players. “Bucci mentioned that “Playing golf and knowing the sport could lead anyone of his players to opportunities that they have not thought of.” Make the time on the golf course to be quality, and not quantity. Quality practices help the player and their teammates be successful.”
One player this hits home with is sophomore, Monroe. Bucci told me “Tim is a coach’s pleasant surprise – he has taken on the role – one of the two players on the men’s team that can shoot in the mid-sixties.”
The next golf match is April 16th at Heidelberg.