Remaining focused is a challenging skill to acquire, as it requires patience, consistency and discipline. Although we want to race against the clock, it is often best to be precise and take life one swing at a time. After all, slow and steady wins the race.
At California Baptist University, golf student-athletes connect with their sport through team bonding, memories, the influence of family and entertainment. Although golf is generally considered an individual sport, student-athletes rely on one another for support and encouragement.
Lisa Shimmon, sophomore marketing major and member of the CBU women’s golf team, was inspired by her father to take up golf. From a young age, she trained and found enjoyment in swinging a golf club.
“Golf is something I started with my dad, so it’s kind of like a bonding thing with us,” Shimmon said.
Playing on the golf team, Shimmon gained new experiences and formed strong bonds with her teammates and coaches. As their team bond grew, success followed through competitive records and performances.
“We just finished the fall season, and I feel like we played a lot of bigger events with bigger schools,” Shimmon said.
During this competition stretch, the team faced strong programs and earned sixth place in a previous tournament, placing them in the top 10.
Despite the challenges, the CBU women’s golf team supported one another while competing at a high level.
Marc Machado, head coach of the CBU women’s golf team, has coached the program for 10 seasons. He also previously coached the CBU men’s golf team. Like Shimmon, he was influenced by family to start playing golf when he was young.
“I lived in Palm Springs, and my dad owned a custom club shop, so I just kind of always been around the game, and my brother was actually on the team, so I was able to coach him for a season, which was cool,” Machado said.
Machado emphasized the importance of balance within competition and team culture.
“They’re always full of joy and new things going on, whether it’s music or something on social media, we love to laugh and we always talk about finding that balance; when I am recruiting somebody, we want to compete but we have to have fun, there’s got to be that balance,” Machado said.
Team bonding and encouragement play a vital role in golf, even though individual performance also determines success.
Andrew Yang, sophomore finance major and member of the CBU men’s golf team, began playing golf at a young age as well. Last season, however, he faced challenges.
“Last semester, I struggled to make any events, and it was really difficult to bond with my teammates,” Yang said.
This season, Yang improved individually while also prioritizing his involvement and support for the team. He attended every event this fall and focused on strengthening team unity.
“Not only has this translated to better team success, but overall, I have been more excited to play for my teammates and my school,” Yang said.
The team not only improved their chemistry but also their competitive results.
“At the Oregon State Invitational, CBU placed third, the highest finish in two years. This has been great to see for the team. Not only have we improved our games, but being able to bring it for three rounds straight is amazing,” Yang said.
Through every swing, miss or make, both teams work hard to grow in their sport and as individuals. As the season continues, the wins and losses reflect the dedication, resilience, patience and hard work demonstrated by CBU’s golf athletes.
