Emerson College’s only independent, student-run newspaper since 1947

The Berkeley Beacon

Emerson College’s only independent, student-run newspaper since 1947

The Berkeley Beacon

Emerson College’s only independent, student-run newspaper since 1947

The Berkeley Beacon

Emerson golfers joins the club

In a city where the metropolitan hustle never rests, one might be led astray from outdoor recreational activities such as golf. Last year, however, Emerson students organized a group whose members share a love for the sport. With that, the Emerson golf club was born.

Emerson golf club Captain Matt Vuolo, a junior theatre studies major, helped start the team last spring. At its inception, the team had a total of nine members.

Six students, including five returning members, have come out to play this fall.

"[The golf team] is co-ed," Vuolo said. "Freshmen through seniors and even grad students are encouraged to join, but [the team is] really pushing for more female involvement."

The only female member on the club golf team is Tiffany Cuddihy, a senior marketing communications major and a new addition to the golf club.

A recent transfer student, Cuddihy said her decision to play this fall was based on her wanting "to be more active as a senior and have fun."

She played recreationally in high school and was drawn to the club because it was easy to join as there were no tryouts for the team. Yet, Vuolo asks that anyone who joins has some experience in golf.

The club, Vuolo explained, is in the process of trying to become a varsity team, which involves meeting certain objectives.

"[The team] needs to show a better composition of Emerson," Vuolo said of the importance of proving both male and female student interest in golf. "Especially [by including] women because there are more women than men [in the student population] at Emerson."

More importantly, however, is the team's desire to recruit students with experience and passion for the game.

A winning percentage is vital to the team's efforts to become a varsity sport, Vuolo said.

A positive scoring record for the golf club would show theteam is competitive in its conference, which in turn would prove of interest to the Athletic Department.

"Another winning sport bodes well for [the Athletic Department's] future plans," Vuolo said.

Fall 2006 would be the earliest that the club could become varsity. The benefits of being recognized at this level would be "the full support of the Athletic Department," Vuolo said.

The golf team has "partial support," according to Vuolo, because the golf team does their own fundraising, but they get some money from the Athletic Department.

As of now, the club must market itself to the school and is headed by an advisor rather than a full-time coach, Vuolo said.

Norman Sosin is currently the golf club advisor and has been with the team since its beginnings last spring.

According to Vuolo, the Athletic Department found Sosin for the golf team when they were looking for a coach.

The team practices twice a week at Bedham Driving Range and plays its home matches at Franklin Park in Dorchester.

The golf club's first match of the season is scheduled for Oct. 5 against MIT.

The team is still encouraging students to join.

"We need people who know the game, love it and want to play it," Vuolo said. "They don't have to be Tigers," he joked in reference to the popular golf professional.

Cuddihy spoke of how impressed she was with the other players' abilities and attitudes.

"[The club] could be a team right now," Cuddihy said. "Everyone [on it] is really experienced and pretty good."

In explaining the level of play within the group, Cuddihy said, "Everyone's up to par with each other-no pun intended."

Since the team does not have a Web site, Vuolo said that those interested should contact him via e-mail at [email protected].

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