Sometimes, things really are as enjoyable as they would appear from a distance.
For example, taking a college golf road trip after finishing final exams sounds like emerging from a blizzard and landing on a sun-kissed beach that has a seat with your name on it.
“It’s fun,” Kansas University junior Chase Hanna said. “You get to go on somebody else’s dollar and see the country. It’s not a bad thing.”
Maintaining that attitude could serve Kansas well as it opens NCAA play in the Alabama Regional, Monday through Wednesday in Tuscaloosa, Ala., at Ol’ Colony Golf Complex. The Jayhawks left Friday for Birmingham, where the team is scheduled to play a practice round on a course with Bermuda grass today. The official practice round takes place Sunday at Ol’ Colony.
“It’s probably a little bit stickier,” Hanna said of Bermuda grass.
KU coach Jamie Bermel said, “Being down there an extra day is going to help. We haven’t played on Bermuda in a couple of months. It’s different. The greens are a little different. The fairways are a little different. It’s nothing major, but it’s good to get some reps.”
Hanna said he studied the regional course online: “It looks good. It looks like it’s really challenging, looks like it’s long. I’m looking forward to it.”
KU’s five golfers are closely bunched, ranging from Connor Peck’s 71.86 stroke average to Daniel Hudson’s 73.26.
Peck is on a roll that continued Wednesday when he fired a 68 at Wichita Country Club to advance to the sectional qualifying round for the U.S. Open, June 6, when his performance will determine whether he will earn a spot in the U.S. Open field (June 16-19 at Oakmont Country Club).
The Jayhawks are seeded seventh among 13 schools at the Alabama regional. The top five teams from each of the six regionals advance to the NCAA finals in Eugene, Ore.
“I was thinking about this the other day,” Bermel said. “When I was at Colorado State, we were a five seed two years in a row and missed by four (strokes). The next year we were an 11 and got in. Sometimes when there are not a lot of expectations, you go out, play golf and see where it falls.”