Getting the ball to the green and getting an “A” are one and the same for UNM men’s golf player John Catlin, a junior. He said it’s his rigorously busy schedule outside class that keeps him at peak academic performance.
“I think that it’s helped me though. It keeps me more focused,” Catlin said.
He is ranked fourth in the MWC and 32nd in the nation. He leads a Lobo squad looking to improve on a fifth place finish last season.
“John has had a great start to the season,” head men’s golf coach Glen Millican said. “The tournaments usually have fields of about 70 golfers. The fact that he has already had multiple top 10 finishes is a great sign.”
Catlin, a business major, holds a 3.7 cumulative GPA. Catlin said it’s difficult at times to balance school and athletics.
“I spend a lot of time on our trips doing schoolwork,” he said.
With an average of 71.3 strokes per round, Catlin is a force to be reckoned with on the green.
Catlin said he has no problem getting the ball to the green, but once it’s there, he needs to work on his short game.
“I’ve always been able to strike the ball well,” he said. “I need to work on my short game. Chipping can always be improved.”
Catlin was recently selected to participate in the Patriot All-America invitational. He was the only Lobo selected to participate in the event.
Millican said even with four seniors on the team, Catlin is a crucial part of the Lobo golf team, not just because of his accomplishments on the course but for his accomplishments off the course, as well.
“We don’t have captains on the team,” Millican said. “Every year we count on the older guys to set the example. John does a great job in this regard.”
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Catlin and the rest of the men’s team will play the remainder of their season on the road. Between now and the end of the golf season, the Lobo men’s golf team will travel to tournaments in states such as Hawaii, California and South Carolina.
“It’s not every day you get a free week in Hawaii,” he said.
