To the Editor,

Please join me in making a call to The University of North Carolina at Pembroke to continue its commitment to the local golfing community.

Back in March, UNCP made the decision to drop the men’s golf program, a program that helps educate and benefits many local golfers. I question this decision because golf currently plays such a large part in the lives of many local junior and high school golfers. Just look at the programs at Purnell Swett, Fairmont and Lumberton high schools along with Locklear’s Golf Academy. Many graduates of these programs went on to attend UNCP while playing for the golf team.

A look inside our current programs might show promising scholar-athletes for a future golf team at UNCP; unfortunately they would now have to look elsewhere. UNCP has been a staple in our community for decades, helping many local residents achieve the education and experiences they deserve.

The director of athletics stated the decision was based on financial reasons. There was no mention of any alternate methods made to raise money or other efforts to save the program. The director also mentioned the golf team was cut because it was the smallest. But in order to keep the enrollment numbers up, UNCP added men’s and women’s track and field and women’s swimming and diving. It appears to me that this decision was based solely on numbers — it was the easiest thing for the university and affects the least number of students-athletes.

The commitment to our aspiring young local golfers was never considered. UNCP should explore all possible avenues to continue the golfing tradition we have enjoyed for decades. As a golfer myself, I see young people striving to be the best they can be, and to lose our university’s golf program would be disappointing to many who wish to use golf to further their education without relocating.

I hope our “hometown” university will reconsider the decision and reinstate the men’s golf team with a firm commitment for the future. I ask all fellow alumni and local residents to join me in this request.

Jeff Wishart

UNCP Class of 1985

President

Robeson County Golf Association