Gallery by Karen Akers
Last year about this time, former Shady Spring golfer, Todd Duncan stood alone on top of the high school and junior golf mountain in West Virginia.
The accolades were impressive.
Two-time Junior Am champion, two-time WVGA Boys Player of the Year and two-time Class AA individual state champion.
Duncan also led the Tigers to the Class AA team golf championship as a senior.
Fast forward one year and the golf world is very different for Duncan.
Now a freshman on the golf team at West Virginia University, Duncan sits at the bottom of the college golf mountain, looking to grind his way back to the top.
“High school golf was a lot of fun, but you definitely have to make that next big step. Playing (college golf) is obviously a lot better and more competition,” Duncan said. “I hope my boys back home win it this year, but I really enjoy wearing the gold and blue.”
As could be expected, the transition to college life involved battling more than just really good golfers. Academics are a huge part of the equation to be a successful college player.
“I have class from 8 a.m. to (noon). Then I leave (Morgantown) and go to Pete Dye (Golf Club in Bridgeport) and play golf. It’s every day. You do (school) work, play golf, do work, play golf. It gets overwhelming sometimes, but it’s alright.”
“Time management is huge. It can be overwhelming for a freshman,” WVU head golf coach Sean Covich said. “(Todd) seems to be managing it pretty well. He has a good roommate and teammate in Max Greene. You have to balance things. Your days are long with workouts and class. Then there is the stress of qualifying if you want to make the lineup, which is like a tournament. I think once they get through Thanksgiving, they know what to expect. It is like throwing them in the deep end for the first month or two.”
Although he received interest from several excellent golf programs, playing for WVU had long been a goal for Duncan.
“When I started golf, I knew I wanted play (at WVU) and represent my home state,” Duncan said. “I kept working and working and got the chance. It’s crazy sometimes knowing I wanted to play here my whole life. It was a goal I accomplished, but now that I am here, there are new goals to accomplish and get better.”
All great golfers are not cut out for Division I competition and the rigors of big-time college golf. Covich explained why he felt Duncan was a good fit for the Mountaineers.
“I thought Todd was a really good athlete and competitor. What was really impressive was what he did in the WV Open and the WV Am,” Covich said. “He was always making the cut and finishing in the top half of the field. That is against kids that are maybe in college or already played college golf. That meant more to me than the Junior events, plus, he loved WVU.”
Even for a player as talented as Duncan, stepping up to the college level was a bit of an eye-opener.
“College golf is very hard. The conditions that we play in are a lot different and the players are a lot better,” Duncan said. When you move up to this level, you feel like you got worse. You didn’t get worse; you just have to grind even harder than you did in high school.”
Not only are the opposing players better, just making the WVU lineup for matches is a tall task.
“Now you have the U.S. Amateur medalist on the team. We have a kid that holds the school record lowest round, a 62. We have a couple guys averaging 69 in qualifying. Everybody is good, especially when you get to the BIG12 Conference level,” Covich said. “That is good though because he says he has to get a lot better. He is learning from the seniors how to flight the golf ball, control his trajectory and controlling the spin. They are showing him what to practice and helping him think around the golf course. He is learning from some great seniors.”
Duncan’s first taste of college golf competition came two weeks ago at The Gopher Invitational in Minnesota. It was also his first experience flying in a plane.
“I enjoyed it. I thought I might be a little more freaked out, but (flying) felt like a car once you got up there. It wasn’t bad,” Duncan said, smiling. “I had never been to that state, so it was harder getting used to playing. I didn’t get adjusted to the course as quickly as I should’ve. I think I had one under-par round, but it was fun for my first tournament.”
“He did good for his first tournament. Obviously, he could have scored better, but it’s all about the experience,” Covich said. “We play so much in West Virginia, that when we go somewhere else, you have to be able to adapt. That is why we throw the freshman in there, just to get them some experience. I think it develops guys in the long run.”
“He has to get a little stronger and hit the ball a little farther,” Covich went on to say. “While his putting and chipping are good, it has to get world class good. You are not going to hit every green, so you have to have a really, really good short game. Not just sometimes good.”
Fully aware of the growing pains ahead, Duncan still feels he can reach the top of the college golf mountain eventually.
“It is a grind and a long process. It’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon. You have to keep building, building, building and get better every day,” Duncan said. “I have teammates here that are seniors and they put you in the building blocks that they used. They tell you how to manage things because they have been through it. It’s a lot to learn, but as a freshman, you have to pick it up quick and go from there.”
The Mountaineers are back in action Oct. 4-5 when they host The Mountaineer Invitational at Pete Dye Golf Club.
“Pete Dye is a great place and super challenging. We have played so many times up there. I am really excited for our first home match, and I think the team is also,” Duncan said.