SE: K-State MGLF Ready to Use Familiarity of BIGHORN as Advantage as the Wildcats Host Tournament in California
Mar 20, 2018 | Men's Golf, Sports Extra
By Corbin McGuire
Ask just about anyone who has played at BIGHORN Golf Club in Palm Desert, California, what they enjoyed most about the prestigious venue and the answer will likely be the same: The conditions.
While some courses are famous for their design, members or history, BIGHORN owns a renowned reputation for the pristine shape it stays in from tee box to green. It's one of many reasons the Wildcats are excited to host the K-State BIGHORN Invitational there on Friday and Saturday.
"There's not a blade of grass out of place," said K-State sophomore Jacob Eklund, from Carbondale, Illinois. "I was telling a couple of friends back home, it's like the closest thing to playing Augusta (National) as far as course conditions. It's just so perfect. It's the nicest course I've ever played."
"I've played some really good golf course and it's one of the best," sophomore Ben Fernandez added of BIGHORN, which sponsors the No. 3 ranked golfer in the world in Jon Rahm. "It's probably the best-conditioned golf course that I've ever played. The grass is just perfect. The greens roll perfect. The weather… it's like playing inside."
Bundled up in jackets and stocking caps for a practice round at Wamego Country Club on Monday, the Wildcats were certainly ready to escape the sporadic spring Kansas weather.
More than the mid-70 to low-80 degree weather waiting for them in California, however, the Wildcats were more eager to take advantage of their familiarity with BIGHORN.
The last three years K-State has taken a practice trip to BIGHORN, where legendary former Wildcat Jim Colbert is a member and holds the annual Colbert Hills Founders retreat.
"I remember the first time I played it, I shot a few over (par) and I was disappointed, but by the end of the week I was shooting four or five under pretty consistently, just knowing where to miss," Eklund said. "It's a course that the more times you play it, the easier it gets. I think that's going to help us and be a huge advantage over teams haven't played it before."
With it being spring break at K-State, the Wildcats left for California on Tuesday to get a few more rounds in and, hopefully, add to their advantage of familiarity.
"It'll be a little bit of an advantage there, knowing the golf course," K-State head coach Grant Robbins said.
The event marks the first time K-State has hosted a tournament since the 2013-14 season. Robbins said in an ideal world the Wildcats would host at Colbert Hills but the "small window" of favorable fall weather in Kansas paired with the vast number of well-established tournaments elsewhere in the country makes it difficult.
"There's just so many quality tournaments in the fall that it would be difficult for us to get the field that you want," Robbins said. "We wanted to host, so the conversation started with Bernie Haney at Colbert Hills. He kind of came up with the idea of, 'Have you ever thought about hosting at BIGHORN?'
"We thought it would be a fantastic place to host an event."
Even more, it could be the perfect place for K-State to come into its own. The Wildcats, with one senior on their roster, have not collectively performed up to their expectations so far this season. A familiar course with more ideal weather could be exactly what they need, however.
"I would definitely consider it an advantage for us. Most of us have played it before," Eklund said. "I know we haven't had the best record this spring, but I know a lot of guys are itching to go out there and prove themselves."
Fernandez described this weekend's tournament as a "really good opportunity to kind of right the ship," especially as K-State nears closer to the Big 12 Championship, on April 22-25, in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Robbins agreed.
"It's a very strong field," he said, as the tournament will also include BYU, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Mississippi State, Nebraska, Notre Dame, San Diego State, South Alabama and Washington State. "We've had a pretty strong schedule this year. Our guys have gone up against some of the best amateurs in the country. We know we have a lot of work to do, but I'm still confident in this group. This hasn't been the season that we've wanted so far, but the guys are learning and growing and getting better. It's a great opportunity for us to have a good event, get some confidence and finish the year strong."
Ask just about anyone who has played at BIGHORN Golf Club in Palm Desert, California, what they enjoyed most about the prestigious venue and the answer will likely be the same: The conditions.
While some courses are famous for their design, members or history, BIGHORN owns a renowned reputation for the pristine shape it stays in from tee box to green. It's one of many reasons the Wildcats are excited to host the K-State BIGHORN Invitational there on Friday and Saturday.
"There's not a blade of grass out of place," said K-State sophomore Jacob Eklund, from Carbondale, Illinois. "I was telling a couple of friends back home, it's like the closest thing to playing Augusta (National) as far as course conditions. It's just so perfect. It's the nicest course I've ever played."
"I've played some really good golf course and it's one of the best," sophomore Ben Fernandez added of BIGHORN, which sponsors the No. 3 ranked golfer in the world in Jon Rahm. "It's probably the best-conditioned golf course that I've ever played. The grass is just perfect. The greens roll perfect. The weather… it's like playing inside."
Bundled up in jackets and stocking caps for a practice round at Wamego Country Club on Monday, the Wildcats were certainly ready to escape the sporadic spring Kansas weather.
More than the mid-70 to low-80 degree weather waiting for them in California, however, the Wildcats were more eager to take advantage of their familiarity with BIGHORN.
The last three years K-State has taken a practice trip to BIGHORN, where legendary former Wildcat Jim Colbert is a member and holds the annual Colbert Hills Founders retreat.
"I remember the first time I played it, I shot a few over (par) and I was disappointed, but by the end of the week I was shooting four or five under pretty consistently, just knowing where to miss," Eklund said. "It's a course that the more times you play it, the easier it gets. I think that's going to help us and be a huge advantage over teams haven't played it before."
With it being spring break at K-State, the Wildcats left for California on Tuesday to get a few more rounds in and, hopefully, add to their advantage of familiarity.
"It'll be a little bit of an advantage there, knowing the golf course," K-State head coach Grant Robbins said.
The event marks the first time K-State has hosted a tournament since the 2013-14 season. Robbins said in an ideal world the Wildcats would host at Colbert Hills but the "small window" of favorable fall weather in Kansas paired with the vast number of well-established tournaments elsewhere in the country makes it difficult.
"There's just so many quality tournaments in the fall that it would be difficult for us to get the field that you want," Robbins said. "We wanted to host, so the conversation started with Bernie Haney at Colbert Hills. He kind of came up with the idea of, 'Have you ever thought about hosting at BIGHORN?'
"We thought it would be a fantastic place to host an event."
Even more, it could be the perfect place for K-State to come into its own. The Wildcats, with one senior on their roster, have not collectively performed up to their expectations so far this season. A familiar course with more ideal weather could be exactly what they need, however.
"I would definitely consider it an advantage for us. Most of us have played it before," Eklund said. "I know we haven't had the best record this spring, but I know a lot of guys are itching to go out there and prove themselves."
Fernandez described this weekend's tournament as a "really good opportunity to kind of right the ship," especially as K-State nears closer to the Big 12 Championship, on April 22-25, in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Robbins agreed.
"It's a very strong field," he said, as the tournament will also include BYU, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Mississippi State, Nebraska, Notre Dame, San Diego State, South Alabama and Washington State. "We've had a pretty strong schedule this year. Our guys have gone up against some of the best amateurs in the country. We know we have a lot of work to do, but I'm still confident in this group. This hasn't been the season that we've wanted so far, but the guys are learning and growing and getting better. It's a great opportunity for us to have a good event, get some confidence and finish the year strong."
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