When I was asked to interview Ryan Chandler, I was pretty nervous because I didn’t know anything about golf or sports as an English major. I scoured the hallways trying to find his office and got lost three or four times. However, I finally found his office by going through a door with a sign above it that said “Department of Language” — the same place where you can find a good chunk of the English faculty. I had been in that section of the PAC probably a hundred times. I just never knew his office was there.
During our interview, Chandler told me about the first Cardinal and Cream article he was in, in which he was only a senior here at Union. In the article, he mentioned that he was interested in being a golf coach and playing the game professionally. Now, Chandler is in his fourth year as the men and women’s golf coach here at Union. Chandler took on a professional golfing career in Florida in the past, but as of now, he is no longer pursuing it.
“I just didn’t continue it like I wanted it to, but I had an opportunity to come back home and coach,” Chandler said. “That was in that initial interview to say ‘Hey, I love the game, I love what it teaches, and I want to play professionally, but if that doesn’t work out, I really want to coach.’ So being back here just means a lot to me ‘cause obviously I love the school. I think that being a golf alumnus and having the experience that we did as players stays with you for a long time.”
Chandler still competes during Union’s off seasons on a competitive amateur level, but recruiting is his priority.
“My main focus is the program,” Chandler said. “When it’s in season, even out of season recruiting, my main focus is being places that other competitive amateurs, especially high school players that we’re recruiting, are going to be so I can see them compete and whether or not I want to try to add them to our roster.”
Playing golf recreationally helps him to experience what his players are going through and relate to them.
“In certain situations, competitively, how they’re handling pressure, how they’re dealing with adversity, or doubtful feelings of whether or not they think they can win a golf tournament — I still experience those things as a competitor myself, so I think putting myself in those situations allows me to be more relatable to them and can help them through those experiences to maybe learn how to deal with theirs,” Chandler said.
When I asked Chandler if he thought he had established good relationships with his players, he told me that he hopes to not only help them improve their golf skills, but also that they would apply those skills to other areas of their lives.
“I think the more you see them open up, you know, they might pull you aside about something that’s not even golf related. Or they start to understand what you’re trying to teach them through the game,” Chandler said. “It’s just a continuous conversation and learning who everyone is and helping them develop a foundation and the tools necessary so that — no matter if they’re on the golf course or if they’re working for a CEO of a big company — they understand what the job is, what the expectation is and what character needs to come with a high-level performance. “
“I think that one important quality that Coach Chandler has is that he truly cares for his players both on and off the golf course,” said Emma Korte, golfer on the women’s team and senior athletic training major. “He is constantly pushing us to be the best versions of ourselves. Most importantly, though, he cares about our walk with Christ. He encourages us daily to pursue Christ through the gifts that we have been given. He frequently reminds us that golf is not what defines us, but instead it is an opportunity we have been given to show others the love of Christ.”
If I learned anything from speaking with Chandler, it’s his passion for the sport. And it’s a passion that everyone has for a specific art. A specific sport is just one of the many ways to build connections while also growing your passion. It’s not any different from what I want to achieve with writing or any other passion. And what I loved the most about learning about Chandler and the golf community here at Union is that they have connections that span decades. Coach Don Morris was the Union golf team’s head coach for 32 years until 2016, and Chandler mentioned that the former coach’s influence still impacts him today.
“I think it’s kind of cool, you know, to be able to have the opportunity to kind of follow others’ footsteps,” Chandler said. “Coach Morris…was the initial person that really made Union golf known and invested in a lot of lives, not just with the game of golf, but he impacted some men and kind of changed the course of their life. And I think that’s what any sport can do, and I think it’s cool to be able to use this sport that I love for that same mission.”
