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University of North Carolina Athletics
The Keys To Success At Tar Heel Intercollegiate
September 10, 2014 | Men's Golf
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Playing a familiar course in golf is like returning home-it's memorable, comfortable, and easy. For the University of North Carolina men's golf team, playing at UNC Finley Course provides that luxury. But not only does it result in good feelings-it can also mean great scores.
"Golf is unlike any other sport; there's such a home-course advantage," Head Coach Andrew Sapp said. "So they know all the different breaks on the greens, they know how to hit different shots around the greens, and obviously they've hit many shots into the greens from around the different areas that they'll face. I think home-course advantage is a huge thing, and these guys have all played this golf course so many times, including our freshmen."
This weekend, the men will put that advantage to the test as they host the Tar Heel Intercollegiate Friday through Sunday at Finley. The course, a par-72, 7,242-yard layout, features a variety of hazards, as well as some lengthy par-5s, which Sapp sees as the key to winning the tournament.
"I think for our guys, [the advantage] will probably be playing the par 5s well," Sapp said. "If you can dominate the par 5s on our golf course, you can win the tournament. If you can make a lot of birdies on those par 5s, you ought to be able to play well."
But not only do the shots themselves matter-the golfer standing over the tee is where it all starts. And Sapp is excited about this new team.
"Ben [Griffin] should play well here this week because he's basically played this golf course his whole life, so we expect a lot out of him," Sapp said. "This is definitely his home golf course, living less than a mile and a half away. And William [Register] has played well out here, as well. They're both great freshmen. They bring a lot to the table. They bring a lot of energy to our team, and they're exciting to watch. They're both fearless and really go after the birdies, so on a golf course that they know well, that could be a good combination."
And the seniors are also crucial in helping this team succeed.
"I think they've all got great experience, whether it's as student athletes or as golfers, so I think they can really help our young guys progress through that," Sapp said. "We rely on our older guys to help our younger guys acclimate themselves, both at tournaments but also throughout the regular rigors of being a student athlete."
Brandon Dalinka, a senior from Newtown, Pa., will lead the team after tying for 10th at the Carpet Capital Collegiate in Rocky Face, Ga. last weekend where the team finished 9th with a 3-under-par 861. Register, from Burlington, N.C. and Griffin, from Chapel Hill, take the second and third spots, followed by Bailey Patrick, a senior from Charlotte, N.C., and Henry Do, a sophomore from Canton, Mich.
However, while this tournament is central to the Tar Heels' regular season, it will also act as a precursor to the NCAA Regionals held in the spring.
"Anytime you have the opportunity to host a NCAA Regional, it's a great benefit for your team, because as we talked about, home-course advantage is huge," Sapp said." "But we've got to take it one step at a time, got to get ready for the Tar Heel, which is actually kind of a nice preview for the NCAA Regional."
But it all starts at the beginning.
"Hosting the Tar Heel at UNC Finley Golf Course is a wonderful privilege that our team looks forward to each year," Sapp said. "We have a wonderful staff who puts this event on from our tournament operations, to our golf professionals and especially our golf course superintendent staff. It is a great opportunity to showcase our Tom Fazio-designed golf course to 17 other teams this week and have our home crowd come out and watch us play."
The Tar Heel Intercollegiate will have 18 holes played each day beginning at 8 a.m. off the #1 tee and 8:30 off the #10 tee. Admission is free, and the public is invited to attend. Live scoring will available on GoHeels.com.
By Laura Fellwock, North Carolina Athletic Communications
