The ultimate mulligan
Golfer’s clubs destroyed, wins game with borrowed equipment
Photo by Lee Ferris
It certainly looked like it was going to be a great day when the Mount’s Men's Golf team took on Yeshiva University at the Powelton Country Club for their first match of the season. It was what you might call a scorcher: The fairways were in immaculate condition, and greens were a little stiff, and a small breeze gave a little respite from the sun bearing down. And a great day it was: The Knights opened their season with a win.
Making it all the more impressive was a mishap with one of the golfer’s clubs just hours before.
Freshman Gabe Hill shot a 75 and led the team to victory. It was the first time in Mount history that a freshman won his first start in his first match.
But the fact that he did it with borrowed clubs that he had never swung before is what made Hill’s score truly incredible.
Hill had spent the prior evening cleaning his clubs and preparing for his first collegiate match. Preparations in the morning had him out early and clubs in the driveway, ready to go. That’s when disaster struck – his clubs were run over.
But Hill would not be sitting this one out. It just so happens that Andy Crane, Head Men’s Golf Coach, had a set of his own clubs that he lent to Hill. Even more serendipitous: Both Hill and Coach Crane are left-handed.
“I am really proud of Gabe,” said Crane. “Winning in his first college start is absolutely special, but winning after your clubs are run over and you have to borrow the coach’s clubs is Disney storybook stuff.”
But Hill wasn’t the only Knight who did a fantastic job on the green that day. Trevor Zamudio shot a 79, John Del Bene shot an 80, Matthew Ropiak shot an 85, and Jonathan Kara shot an 87.
“This was a great way for us to start off the year. Really proud of everybody and how they fought through the heat,” said Crane.
Later in the semester, the Men’s Golf team would go on to finish the season at the Skyline Conference Championship with a third-place finish of 651, just behind Old Westbury and top finisher Farmingdale State.
