Southwestern golf announces 2018 fall men's and women's schedules
CRESTON, IA – Southwestern Spartan Head Golf Coach Doug North has announced the 2018 fall slate for a team that returns three national qualifiers. The Spartans will play in six combined events, highlighted by the Iowa Western-hosted, Bent Tree Intercollegiate.
"We are excited to release our fall schedule and get started on building upon the success we had last season," stated North. He continued, "With the events we have lined up, we will be tested early when we defend our home turf and often against a variety of levels. The stiff competition will benefit us come spring and championship time. We are looking forward to the tough competition and improving as a team."
The Spartan women will open up the season on September 4 as Southwestern looks to host the first "War at the Moor" held at Crestmoor Golf Club in Creston. The men will host the same tournament on September 7. The field will highlight NJCAA, NAIA, and NCAA teams from Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska with many teams bringing in national championship experience to play in southwest Iowa.
The Spartan men and women will then travel north to Mason City to compete in the NIACC Fall Invitational at the Mason City Country Club on September 10. In a field filled with the best of Region XI, and always producing low scores, the NIACC Invitational will be a great measuring stick for the Spartans in Region XI competition.
North and his assistant coach, Ryan Palser, will lead the Spartans to the Graceland Fall Invitational where the teams finished seventh (women) and third (men) in 2017.
"The men were only two strokes away from their first team victory last year and we were young with significantly less experience," explained North. "I really like our odds this year to post a number close to par."
North said on the women's side the Spartans should be much-improved and, therefore, Graceland should be a great experience to see different levels of competition.
The Spartans will round out their fall competitive schedule against regional competition at the Bent Tree Intercollegiate. The Men's Region XI Preview will be held at Veenker Golf Club, which will host the Men's Region XI Championship in May. The Women's Region XI Preview will be held at Otter Creek Golf Course, which will host the Women's Region XI Championship in April.
"The men will again compete in the Bent Tree Intercollegiate, and the women will compete in this event for the first time," said North. "Last year we knew the competition was going to be stiff, this year will be no different."
North said the Spartans took last place (fifth) last year, but three teams ended up ranked in the top-10 in Division I with Indian Hills winning the national championship. The other team Southwestern lost to, by eight strokes, finished eighth at the Division II National Championship.
North remarked the tournament is the best-of-the-best in the midwest and will be a great cap to the fall season.
September 4 – Women's War at the Moor (Creston, Iowa)
September 7 – Men's War at the Moor (Creston, Iowa)
September 10 – Men & Women at NIACC Fall Invite (Mason City, Iowa)
September 13 – Men at Graceland University Fall Invite (Lamoni, Iowa)
September 15 – Women at Graceland University Fall Invite (Lamoni, Iowa)
September 23-24 – Men's Fall Region XI Preview (Ames, Iowa)
October 1-2 – Men and Women at Bent Tree Intercollegiate (Council Bluffs, Iowa)
October 11 – Women's Fall Region XI Preview (Ankeny, Iowa)
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