2015-16 fall schedule presents new challenges for Golden Eagle men's golf team
With the 2015-16 season creeping closer and closer, Tennessee Tech men's golf head coach Polk Brown has released the fall schedule for the upcoming year. Several new events highlight the men's fall season, a break away from many of the traditional events the Golden Eagle squad has participated in the past few years.
Click here to view the complete fall schedule
By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information Coordinator
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – With the 2015-16 season creeping closer and closer, Tennessee Tech men's golf head coach Polk Brown has released the fall schedule for the upcoming year. Several new events highlight the men's fall season, a break away from many of the traditional events the Golden Eagle squad has participated in the past few years.
"There is only one tournament this upcoming fall that we went to last fall," Brown explained, "so it's a dramatic change from previous years. We're looking forward to a new variety and a different set of tournaments, most of which we've never played in before."
Kicking off the 2015-16 fall gauntlet will be a first for the Golden Eagles, a trip to Myrtle Beach, S.C. for the Golfweek Program Challenge from Sept. 6-8. The three-day event will take place at the True Blue Plantation.
"It will be exciting to go down there and get our season started over Labor Day weekend. There's usually a pretty good host of teams at that event and it's a great way for us to get the season underway, especially since it's at the beach. It's about 10 to 12 days after the school year begins, so we anticipate the guys to come in ready to go and we're looking forward to competing in that event."
Next on the docket is a Sept. 21-22 trip to Murray, Ky. for the Murray State Invitational, an event with at least a little familiarity for the Tech squad. The Golden Eagles will compete at Miller Memorial Golf Course in the 54-hole tournament.
"We went to Murray State's event a few years ago," Brown recounted, "and that's a good way to kick off a tournament where we will be playing more of our traditional OVC [Ohio Valley Conference] foes. The course sets up really well for us and I think that it should be a good way to get a gauge of where we stack up against the other teams in the conference."
New to the schedule for the 2015-16 edition of the men's schedule is the Derek Dolenc Invitational. Located at Sunset Hills Country Club in Edwardsville, Ill., the tournament will be hosted by fellow OVC member SIUE from Sept. 28-29.
"We've never been to SIUE's tournament before, so that's one we're definitely looking forward to in the fall. I've never seen the golf course up there, but I've heard plenty of good things about it. It'll be fun to get up to Illinois for the first time in this program's history."
Two weeks later, the Golden Eagles will make another trip north, albeit a short one, as they return to the Kenny Perry Invitational at The Club at Olde Stone in Bowling Green, Ky. from Oct. 12-13.
"The only tournament that we will be participating in that we played in last fall is Western Kentucky's. Getting the opportunity to go back Olde Stone is something we couldn't pass up. The course is very difficult, but overall just an incredible experience and fun challenge. Anytime we have a chance to play at course that exceptional, we're going to thrive with that opportunity. We had a pretty good showing out there last fall and we look forward to continuing that trend this season."
Another new event for the 2015-16 season is Kennesaw State's Pinetree Intercollegiate, a 54-hole event spanning Oct. 19-20 at the Pinetree Country Club in Kennesaw, Ga.
"We're very excited about the Pinetree Invitational," Brown said, "as we are with all of our other events. But this one in particular has been a very good tournament nationally over the past few years. Going on to that stage and competing against teams of that caliber will be really good for our program and pay dividends down the stretch of our spring season."
Wrapping up the unusually long fall slate is another three-day event, this time down in Gulf Shores, Ala. Taking place at Peninsula Golf Club, the Golden Eagles will conclude the fall schedule at Arkansas State's Fall Beach Classic, running from Oct. 25-27.
"Our final event should be fun, getting a chance to go down to Gulf Shores for Arkansas State's tournament. It's a special opportunity to end your fall season by going down to beach, especially after opening the season at one as well.
"Typically we play just five tournaments in the fall and six in the spring, but for this season, we decided to switch it up and play six in the fall and five in the spring. It's one more event than we're used to this early, but I definitely think the guys are up to the challenge and are excited to go out and compete in each and every one of them. This schedule should present a fun and rewarding fall and we can't wait to get started."
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