University of Minnesota Athletics
100 Years of Minnesota Men’s Golf: The Beginning
10/25/2021 5:00:00 PM | Men's Golf, M Club
The spring of 1922 found golf an officially recognized intercollegiate sport, after the Gopher Golf Club was organized in the spring of 1921. With this announcement came a host of prospective players, all of whom had considerable experience. Meetings were held with hopefuls and the outcome was to play 36 holes of medal play to decide on a squad and then pick the regular varsity team from that group. After two rounds at the Midland Hills course, Paul Swanson, Russell Harding, Frank Pond, John Dobner, Stan Travis and Leonard Sarvella were chosen to the team.
Following 36 more holes of competition, the regular varsity team was chosen before the dual meet with Wisconsin. The lineup for the first match in Minnesota men's golf history consisted of Swanson, Harding, Travis and Sarvella. The Gophers lost the first match with Wisconsin by a final score of 16-8.
The second match of the 1922 season was played against the Golden Valley Country Club and the new lineup with Dobner replacing Travis recorded a 10-1 victory. The match was highlighted by performances from Swanson (40-41-81) and Hardings (44-40--84), while Dobner and Sarvella both broke 90.
A rematch against Wisconsin was played at the Black Hawk Country Club of Madison. Minnesota again fell to the Badgers, this time by a final of 9-3.
The 1922 season came to a close at the Big Ten Conference match at Midlothian Country Club in Chicago. Minnesota placed seventh out of the ten competing schools and gave promise for a much better showing the following year.
Following 36 more holes of competition, the regular varsity team was chosen before the dual meet with Wisconsin. The lineup for the first match in Minnesota men's golf history consisted of Swanson, Harding, Travis and Sarvella. The Gophers lost the first match with Wisconsin by a final score of 16-8.
The second match of the 1922 season was played against the Golden Valley Country Club and the new lineup with Dobner replacing Travis recorded a 10-1 victory. The match was highlighted by performances from Swanson (40-41-81) and Hardings (44-40--84), while Dobner and Sarvella both broke 90.
A rematch against Wisconsin was played at the Black Hawk Country Club of Madison. Minnesota again fell to the Badgers, this time by a final of 9-3.
The 1922 season came to a close at the Big Ten Conference match at Midlothian Country Club in Chicago. Minnesota placed seventh out of the ten competing schools and gave promise for a much better showing the following year.
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