I never imagined that my collegiate golf career would end the way it did… Since golf is not a contact sport, I knew the chances of me experiencing a career-ending injury was low. I’ve never even been sidelined due to an injury before. I’ve always envisioned myself playing four years of golf at Dartmouth and going out in style. From what I’ve heard, there is a tradition where the seniors ride around Occom Pond in a van with Coach after the Ivy League Championship, effectively marking the end of their collegiate careers. Maybe that was the way I thought my golf career would end, but as a freshman, I never gave it too much thought.
My collegiate golf career ended after a ten minute Zoom call with the Athletic Director this past July. It was announced through the Zoom call that the golf teams, along with the swimming and lightweight rowing teams, would be eliminated because of budget cuts. It was a complete shock to me. Though I knew that some other schools had cut their teams, I never imagined that Dartmouth, with a 5.7 billion dollar endowment, would eliminate their teams just to save a minuscule fraction of their expenses.
As many can imagine, this decision by the administration was devastating for me. I still had unfinished business left on the course, as I had only played a season of golf. I never got to experience spring trips, the Ivy League Championship, and many other unique events. I feel betrayed and disrespected by the college, as I have worked so hard and sacrificed so much to reach the level I’m at.
Though deeply disappointed, I don’t want to feel like a victim. I realize that I am sitting at one of the biggest crossroads of my life. My reaction to this event will dictate the remaining three years of my Dartmouth experience. I have no idea who I will meet or what interests I will develop moving forward. Essentially, the upcoming chapters of my book have been erased and are blank for me to fill in. It’s up to me to make sure that I like them.
