PHOTO BY STEVE MCCLURE Christopher Heck eyes a well-hit ball on a chilly spring day. By Steve McClure
Freelance writer
For a 19-year old, Christopher Heck is building an impressive resume of premier golf resorts he not only has visited but played.
Soon after he helped lead the Center Grove Trojans to a runner-up finish at last year’s state finals, Heck and his father, Jim, set off on the dream trip of a lifetime – St. Andrews Links in Scotland, home of seven golf courses.
Heck, a freshman sports management major at the University of Indianapolis who carries a 74.9 per round average, lists Pebble Beach in California as his next favorite; and already as a Greyhound has added trips to the PGA National Championship Course in Palm Beach, Fla.; the Las Vegas Desert Classic and Denver, Colo.
From high school to college, Heck said the transition has been smooth and manageable. “The university does such a good job of helping us get through it (schedule). They understand we’re busy, but school always comes first so you’ve got to get your school work done before golf.
“We get our schedule every Monday, and it details everything, including our individual class schedules. We get our workouts in the morning, usually two or three days a week at 6:30.”
And the freshmen have mandatory study tables.
From a golf standpoint, Heck said the transition hasn’t been bad at all.
“There’s a little more pressure at the next level, but once you get comfortable with it like I am now, it’s pretty routine. It’s still golf – but more from a mental standpoint – it can be tough.”
Unlike high school, most college outings are multi-day tournaments of sometimes three and four days.
“Sometimes we’ll play two days of 36 holes each day, but you just rely on your strengths and work through it,” Heck noted.
As for the travel, Heck said it’s been sweet.
“I had never been to Las Vegas even though my parents had. It’s a whole different world out there with the people and the topography compared to the Midwest.
More than happy with his UIndy decision, Heck said his teammates are much like he had at Center Grove.
“They’re family. Meeting the guys during that first week of qualifying, they just treated me like family from Day 1. We have each other’s back on and off the course. We look out for each other. I just love it here.”
With most of the team’s tournaments out of state, the balance of the schedule includes the Great Lakes Valley Conference tournament in Springfield, Illi., and the NCAA Division II playoffs and national championship in May.
Asked if he had any other courses on his bucket list, Heck didn’t hesitate, “Augusta National and the Tournament Players Club Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra, Fla.
Freelance writer
For a 19-year old, Christopher Heck is building an impressive resume of premier golf resorts he not only has visited but played.
Soon after he helped lead the Center Grove Trojans to a runner-up finish at last year’s state finals, Heck and his father, Jim, set off on the dream trip of a lifetime – St. Andrews Links in Scotland, home of seven golf courses.
Heck, a freshman sports management major at the University of Indianapolis who carries a 74.9 per round average, lists Pebble Beach in California as his next favorite; and already as a Greyhound has added trips to the PGA National Championship Course in Palm Beach, Fla.; the Las Vegas Desert Classic and Denver, Colo.
From high school to college, Heck said the transition has been smooth and manageable. “The university does such a good job of helping us get through it (schedule). They understand we’re busy, but school always comes first so you’ve got to get your school work done before golf.
“We get our schedule every Monday, and it details everything, including our individual class schedules. We get our workouts in the morning, usually two or three days a week at 6:30.”
And the freshmen have mandatory study tables.
From a golf standpoint, Heck said the transition hasn’t been bad at all.
“There’s a little more pressure at the next level, but once you get comfortable with it like I am now, it’s pretty routine. It’s still golf – but more from a mental standpoint – it can be tough.”
Unlike high school, most college outings are multi-day tournaments of sometimes three and four days.
“Sometimes we’ll play two days of 36 holes each day, but you just rely on your strengths and work through it,” Heck noted.
As for the travel, Heck said it’s been sweet.
“I had never been to Las Vegas even though my parents had. It’s a whole different world out there with the people and the topography compared to the Midwest.
More than happy with his UIndy decision, Heck said his teammates are much like he had at Center Grove.
“They’re family. Meeting the guys during that first week of qualifying, they just treated me like family from Day 1. We have each other’s back on and off the course. We look out for each other. I just love it here.”
With most of the team’s tournaments out of state, the balance of the schedule includes the Great Lakes Valley Conference tournament in Springfield, Illi., and the NCAA Division II playoffs and national championship in May.
Asked if he had any other courses on his bucket list, Heck didn’t hesitate, “Augusta National and the Tournament Players Club Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra, Fla.
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