David Hörmann

I decided to come to the U.S. to play college golf because I wanted to combine my studies with my passion for golf. In no other country do you get as much support to complete your studies while playing golf at a high level. I wanted to take my golf to the next level, but at the same time expand my academic knowledge, so I have two options for my future in the U.S.: Try to play professional golf in the future, but if that doesn’t work out, I still have a completed Bachelor’s degree and can continue my Masters in Germany.

It is never easy to leave your beloved home and say goodbye to your family and friends, nevertheless I can say that you settle in very quickly on campus and quickly make many new friends. Personally, I decided very late to take the step to the USA, but I am happy that I went this way and realized my dream. Because so far I have experienced an unforgettable time that I will remember for the rest of my life.

I am studying Sport Management and Business Marketing because I have always been interested in sports and would like to keep it by my side in my life. I didn’t get interested in marketing until my junior year, so I thought I’d like to combine the two. The University of Mount Olive is known for its business and athletic school, as these majors are the most common subjects taken by student-athletes. I am currently taking a class that will prepare me for my time after college. It involves creating my own portfolio and website. This semester I will be taking my last Sport Management classes to finish the marketing classes I am missing in my senior year. In the beginning I had a hard time with the English language, but that quickly went away. I now find it easier to complete assignments in English. Since I study at a small Division 2 university, the classes are not overcrowded with about 10 to 30 students, which creates a family atmosphere. My professors are always helpful and offer extra Zoom sessions or even their phone numbers to be available as often as possible; this is especially helpful for athletes and international students. For example, if I can’t attend class because of a tournament, they are understanding and even extend the deadlines. In Germany, something like that would not be possible; here in the U.S., student-athletes are clearly preferred and the professors understand if you can’t show up for class because of tournaments.

Now that I’m in my sixth semester, the schoolwork has become a bit more intense. Nevertheless, it is somewhat “fun” for me to work for it, because it is for my future and I am interested in the tasks and topics. I study for about one to two hours per day. During the day I always have a busy schedule, so I study in the evening after I have had dinner. My goal is to finish the assignment early in order not to lose points unnecessarily, because then nothing can happen to you during your studies.

We have three different golf courses where we can practice. The closest golf course is 3 minutes from campus and is also accessible by bike. The other two courses are about 20 minutes away by car. On campus we have a small indoor facility where we can practice when the weather is not good, which rarely happens. We have three flightscopes that we can use during practice to improve our game. Our golf courses all contain practice facilities to take one’s game to the next level. The college golf season is spread out throughout the year, we have at least 3 hours of practice every day, but we can tailor that practice to each other. Each player can decide for themselves what elements of their game they want to work on. However, our coach decides when and where we play qualifiers. In most cases we play 5-10 rounds before each tournament so that the coach knows exactly which 5 best players to take to the next tournament. In addition to training on the golf course, we have workouts together twice a week to best prepare our fitness for the season, but players can train individually at any time. During the season there are few breaks as we have a full tournament schedule and play permanently under tournament mode. In the off-season, which only lasts from November to December, we often play an internal fun tournament to end the semester and start the next semester with a good team spirit.

Yes, as a student-athlete you can book a trainer appointment online and get treatment for free. For example, we can get an ice bath, massage, stretching or cupping. For acute injuries, you don’t need an appointment, you can go directly to the athletic trainers. The trainer facility is located near our gym where we do weight and recovery sessions. We have a public gym for all university students and another gym for the college sports teams. We also have a pool for relaxation. I often go to the gym in addition to team workouts and occasionally use the workout room to help my recovery.

Because in my opinion, college sports are the best way to develop your athletic skills and improve your academic knowledge at the same time. Many young athletes want to go the professional route in their sports, but are afraid of not achieving everything completely. Studying in the USA is the perfect way to get even better and take the next step in your career, because there are the best coaches and training facilities in the world. Here it is possible to prepare completely for a professional sports career and to reach contacts for sponsoring but at the same time to achieve a plan B with a completed bachelor’s degree. In Germany it is hardly possible to do both with full committent, because we do not have the necessary resources.