The James Madison Invitational win last season was symbolic of what the Penn State men's golf team will most likely not be doing this year -- shattering records and running away from its competition.
The host course at Lakeview Golf Club in Harrisonburg, Va., yielded rounds of 280-269-271 to the Nittany Lions, a score of 820 that was equivalent to 32-under par. A mind-boggling score that marked a 25-stroke victory over the next closest team, obliterated the 54-hole team record by 18 strokes, and saw individual champion, the Lions' Jim Fuller, best the team mark for individual scoring in 54 holes by five strokes with a 16-under par.
There will be none of that this year.
"We're not playing any courses like that this year," Lions head coach Greg Nye said when referring to the relatively short 6,500-yard Lakeview course the Lions dissected.
"We're playing two or three more significantly difficult courses than last year. If you see us shooting 294 or 293 [a round] you're going to see that we've done pretty well against other squads."
The Hit List
Glenmaura National Golf Course
Glenmaura National Golf Course, where the team will be competing this weekend in the Temple Invitational, is a design by Dr. Michael Hurzdan. It consists of two nines -- the first nine was basically carved out of a Pennsylvania mountainside and the second nine was formed out of marshlands. It's a beautiful, scenic layout. But looks can be deceiving.
The course plays long, but the landing areas are abundant. However, if a shot is misfired and does not hit one of the sufficient landing areas it is gone. The greens are fast, smooth and undulating, thus requiring brilliant touch and pace on the majority of the putts.
"It's a spare no expense on design, layout and conditions golf course," Nye said. "It's the top of the food chain as far as golf courses."
Yale Golf Course
This course, designed by Charles Blair MacDonald, is consistently considered one of the best, if not the best, collegiate golf courses in the nation, and it usually ranks in the top 100 overall golf courses throughout the world, in terms of difficulty, as deemed by numerous golfing publications.
The course, characterized by its large greens surrounded by deep bunkers and narrow-rolling fairways, has held numerous NCAA East Regionals, and will once again hold the regional tournament this May.
"I think that's the top-ranked golf college golf course in the country," said junior Mark Leon. "It's really difficult."
Scarlet Course
Ohio State's Championship Scarlet Course is a masterpiece, and it's no wonder with its architect being the world-renowned Dr. Alister MacKenzie. If the Yale Golf Course is not the best college golf course in the country, then Scarlet certainly is.
Golf Magazine and Golf Week have ranked Scarlet amongst the top 100 greatest and most classical courses in the country.
The greens are large and contoured, making every putt a challenge, especially with the demanding pin placements that regularly pop up. The challenge off the tee is to hit the fairway, as it is with any course, but if you find the rough on this layout it almost assuredly will result in a bogey or double bogey. The rough is not overly thick or high, but the course was created so that recovery shots aren't as easy as they may look, and water is in play on seven holes.
"Scarlet is tops in the Big Ten -- it's a bear [no pun intended since Scarlet was the home college course of Ohio State's very own Golden Bear -- Jack Nicklaus]," said Leon.
It's hands down the cream of the crop, and the NCAA believes the same having allowed the course to host the Men's NCAA Championship 10 times.
"I don't know how many NCAA Championships they've held there," Nye said, "but that's a really terrific golf course."
Virgin Islands
The St. Croix Collegiate Cup in the Virgin Islands, a Robert Trent Jones design the team will tackle in the spring, will be a mental and physical test that the Lions have not faced before. The elements of Mother Nature may be the most significant challenge at this track. High and gusty winds are the norm at this island course, and rain could play an important factor.
"Playing in the wind is a lot different than playing in the rain ... it's going to be a real challenge," Nye said.
Firestone Golf Course
The Firestone Golf Course in Akron, Ohio, home of the PGA Tour's World Golf Championships NEC Invitational -- a golf course Tiger Woods has dominated in recent years with three consecutive victories. However, Firestone has three golf courses, and the Lions will not be playing the course played by the PGA professionals.
"We're playing on the North [course], which was originally where the Tour was going to play, but the Tour said it was too difficult and didn't want to play there," Nye said.
What this all means ...
Last year the Lions played courses that were marginal at best, at least compared to the slate of courses they face this year, and along with the marginal courses came marginal competition. This season's schedule should define what kind of team the Lions are.
"I think it's a very positive thing and leading us in the right direction for playing tournaments like the NCAA Finals," said senior Ted Neville.
"Playing more difficult courses, like Scarlet, is going to make this team better -- give us something to build on."
Doesn't the saying go something like "playing the best always brings out the best?"
"In golf you're playing the opponent," Nye said, "but you're real opponent is the golf course."
