Golf is an individual sport. The result of your round comes from nature and your own play.
But college golf is just as team oriented as it is individual. Just like any other team sport, a leader is key to long-term success.
The LSU men’s golf team is fortunate enough to have not one leader, but two in seniors Stewart Jolly and Ben Taylor.
In Jolly’s four years with the Tigers, he has played 105 rounds, averaging just over 72 strokes per round. He’s won two events — this week’s Golfweek Conference Challenge and the 2012 Shoal Creek Intercollegiate.
In 36 career events, he’s finished in the top 10 one-third of the time.
Taylor is a decorated collegiate golfer himself, though he’s only been a member of LSU’s team since the 2013-2014 season. He won five individual tournament championships while at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
While with the Sharks, Taylor guided the team to a Division II national championship and a Sunshine State Conference team championship.
Individually, Taylor was named the Division II Collegiate Player of the Year his freshman season, awarded back-to-back SSC Player of the Year awards and won both the SSC individual championship and Division II Southeast Regional individual championship.
LSU coach Chuck Winstead said all their success makes it simple to choose the two to be leaders.
“It’s easier to listen to a guy who is posting good scores,” said Winstead.
But it’s not just their success that makes these two great
motivators.
“I think you genuinely can tell whether someone actually wants the team to play well or they’re just focused on themselves,” Winstead said. “Those guys both want to play well individually but they genuinely want the team to play well, and that’s not something you can fake.”
Winstead said the drive for the team to succeed comes from the two players’ pasts.
Taylor, a native of England, played in numerous team golf events in Europe — including the 2013 Palmer Cup, an annual Ryder Cup-style collegiate
tournament.
Taylor said his experiences in Europe have let him see just about every scenario of team golf.
“[Playing in Europe] has allowed me to bond with many different characteristics and many different personalities within a team,” Taylor said. “I’ve learned what works best and what causes weakness within a team … I have experience in my different team environments which is why I love college golf so much — because it’s a team.”
Jolly competed in this year’s Palmer Cup for Team USA, but credits former LSU golfer Sang Yi with showing him how to be a role model.
“I’ve learned a lot since I got to college,” Jolly said. “When I was a freshman, Sang Yi was a senior, and he couldn’t have been a better leader for the team. I learned a lot from him.”
Winstead said he expects these two seniors to be more vocal this year than in years past.
But it is more about what you do than what you say, according to Jolly.
“I think you’ve got to lead by example,” Jolly said. “I’m a hard worker, and I want the younger guys to know that this what you’ve got to do to get better.”
Taylor said he understands being a newcomer after transferring to LSU only one year ago. He hopes to use his experience of being a younger player last season to better serve the young players of this year’s team.
Taylor has no doubts that he and Jolly can live up to their role thanks to their past experience and successes.
“People are looking at [Jolly] and I as players to set the example and be role models,” Taylor said. “I had that last year, looking up to some of the guys being a newcomer. It’s something that’s very important. You always need some type of direction or someone to look up to and point you in
that direction.”
Tigers looking to Jolly, Taylor for experience and guidance
By Brian Pellerin
September 17, 2014
More to Discover