November 14, 2000

We just arrived back from Estero, Florida, where we played the Rolex Match Play Team Championships. Match play is very fun. It gives us a change and provids some exciting match ups. Coach switched around the line up for strategy reasons, and when we faced top-ranked Clemson in the first round, the strategy worked. We ended up beating Clemson, which surprised a lot of people considering the fall season we have had so far. This win proved that we are capable of competing with the best, and that our team has definite talent. We have to work on consistency.

We went out that same day and faced Arizona. We got off to a slow start, and Arizona started quickly with many of their players birdying the first few holes. As a team we got back to even in many matches, but the momentum was interrupted by darkness. The tournament chairman's rules were different than most, stating when darkness is called, the match is won where it stands. It was a tough break, and we lost with three holes to play. Our effort was good in this match, but we were too far down when we first started.

In the last match, we played Georgia. Georgia is one of the top teams in the country and proved that against us. We lost four of the matches and tied one. We learned as a team what we need to do to compete. We have a lot of work to do this off-season, and we want to come out ahead during the first tournament in Hawaii in February. Our goal next semester is to get a jump on teams by working hard this winter when most teams take time off.

I got a chance to play with some of the guys on the team during the tournament. Normally, as a team we play with individuals on other teams, not on our own. Match play is different though, because we played two on our team versus two on their team in one foursome. During the round with Arizona I was playing with Travis Whisman. Travis was playing Cody Beyer of Arizona and I was playing Ricky Barnes. Travis hit his drive into the woods but found his ball. He took an unplayable, but was barley able to play it still. Travis made contact but hit the ball where we thought it was in the water. We got to his ball and it wasn't in the water, it was six inches from the water. This meant in order to hit his fourth shot he would have to get in the water and swing at it pretty hard to get it to the green. I could tell something was bothering Travis. I got him his yardage to help speed up play, and he got his club and hesitantly walked to check out his ball and how he could hit it. I asked him about the shot and he said he would hit it because it was his only chance of winning or tying the hole. Instead of taking off his shoes he steps in the water with them on. The water was just covering the toes of his shoes so his feet were not wet but in order to hit the shot he was going to have to get in deeper. I expected him to take off his shoes and hit the shot but he just stepped in further and covered his shoes with water. He tried to take a huge swing really quick without a practice swing. He whiffed the whole ball, jumped out of the water and conceded the hole in a matter of seconds. I asked him what the hurry was and he said there were alligators in that pond. I knew we were in Florida but I didn't think there were any big alligators in there. Meanwhile, everyone is just laughing, including Travis. On the next hole we were walking to the tee, laughing and listening to Travis's shoes squeak from the water in them. We looked down on the pond next to the tee box and we saw a six and a half-foot alligator. I guess that he had reason to be scared. That day I saw a six-foot rattlesnake, two bald eagles and four alligators.

I hope my journals this fall have given you golf fans a better understanding of what it is like on college golf team. The level of play will continue to improve and we have many things to accomplish together for this next season in the spring. In order for us to compete at the national championships we are going to have to become more consistent.

This match play tournament was my last tournament as a bachelor. The next time that I write a journal I will be a married lucky man. Thanks!

Scott Lander

Lander can be reached via e-mail at diaries@unlvrebels.com for questions and comments. Please include the name of the person to which you are writing to in the subject line.