Todays article addresses an issue with the golf program at KWU. The Kansas Wesleyan Golf team struggles due to lack of funding.

            Our tournament on Saturday was primarily to raise money for our golf team although the focus was not on the golf team, and in my opinion there was not enough emphasis on the golf program itself but rather a combination of other sports. This leads me to my next concern for the golf program and our season.

From my understanding the school only supplies us with a team shirt, golf bag, and it is still undecided whether a hat will be provided! Golf is an outdoors sport and as we know the weather, especially in Kansas, is unpredictable and would be ignorant to believe that our golf season will never encounter poor weather during the course of the year. Like it proved on Saturday, our five man team played in constant rain showers through the entire round without any proper equipment.

In high school we were provided with the necessary equipment we needed to perform at our best. Golf is an expensive sport but it makes no sense to me that the program here at KWU, which is the first reason I decided to come to this University, instead of other options that would have been cheaper saving on out of state and public verse private tuition, cannot equip us with the proper equipment that can be found at a very low cost for the school. The school has an endorsement with Titleist and FootJoy which would provide great equipment that is offered to the school at discounted rates. The costs of these items for the team are reasonable and would not set the school back in budget by any means.

 Many campuses complain that golf is not a priority sport and that the school actually looses money in providing a golf team. This is not by any means true though. Without the golf program installed at this institution you would not get the tuition fees, meal plan and boarding money from people like me from Texas where Coach recruited, or like Michael Rush from Texas. Or many of the other golfers that come to this school.

   Scholarships are all over and are not hard to find, but I based my decision on what I though would be best academically as well. I believed this school had something to offer that other colleges didn’t. I talk to my old high school friends, who are also now in college playing golf. Many at small private school like me. I asked them if they are dealing with the same situations and frustrations as I am and they all denied saying that at their schools, golf is treated equally compared to the other sports and that they don’t have to beg for necessities like umbrellas and equipment. You might be saying to yourself that our program is so small that it’s pointless to invest more money into it, and to that I say, how you expect to grow something without any food or water.

            I just don’t see how every other sport can be supplied with above and beyond necessities such as the soccer teams flying to California or even how it seems like every other sport is at least broadcasted by the players whether its team backpack like in volleyball or brand new $200 uniforms for cheerleading provided by the school.

There must be changes made in this program or the schools golf team with completely fall apart. These acting need to be implemented by the school. I really hope this can be resolved. I don’t want to believe that I came all the way here from Texas to pay $30,000 expecting to play golf and it turn out to be not taken as seriously as I expected and was told by the Coach it would be. This school has the money and resources to make a great program and with the help of Footjoy and Titleist our needs can be met