As a little kid growing up in Durham, N.C., Colin Clark didn’t expect to ever play golf. That all changed in one short evening.”A bunch of my friends and I were eating dinner one day at a local country club,” said Clark. “I glanced out the window toward the golfers, and what they were doing looked like fun to me, so I decided to give it a try.”

It turned out to be one of the greatest decisions of his life. Clark, a junior, has racked up some impressive achievements throughout his playing career at Guilford.

Last year, he won the individual NCAA Division III championship and was named ODAC Golfer of the Year for the second consecutive season. He also captured the Outback Steakhouse Arnold Palmer Award as the NCAA Division III medalist by winning a one-hole playoff with teammate Dave Patterson.

Before the championships and the awards, however, Clark had obstacles to overcome.

Throughout high school, he was struggling to become the golfer he wanted to be. He was the 2nd-ranked golfer on his high school team, and his teammates were getting scholarships from schools across the country.

“Colin wasn’t highly recruited in high school,” said Head Coach Jack Jensen. “He was constantly getting beat by his fellow peers. He didn’t fit the mold of a typical golfer. However, I decided to take a chance on him because I saw great potential in his ability. I had a feeling that his talents were going to develop overtime.”

During his freshman year, Clark participated in the North Carolina Amateur, which fielded some of the top amateurs in the state. Shockingly, he finished 6th in the tournament with a four-round score of 284, good for 4 under par. Jensen was astounded by his efforts.

“He went from being just an OK player to finishing 6th in an amateur tournament,” said Jensen. “That is remarkable when you consider the fact that he was only a freshman at the time and was playing against stiff competition.”

His success in that tournament gave him the confidence he’d been looking for. In the next amateur tournament, the Carolinas Amateur Match Play, he was included in the field of 32 that was narrowed down from 150. Once again, his coach was thoroughly impressed.

“For two rounds during that tournament, he played better than anyone else in the field,” said Jensen.

So far this season, Clark has once again been an outstanding contributor to the club. In five tournaments this fall, he averaged 76.45 strokes per round and posted two top-ten finishes, including a 1st place finish at the NCAA Division III Preview at the Firethorn Country Club in Lincoln, NE.

After completing the fall season, Clark was invited to the 31st Annual Western Refining College All-America Golf Classic in El Paso, TX. This tournament featured some of the best players in the country from top-notch Division I schools including Texas, Vanderbilt, and Wake Forest.

Out of 31 players, Clark finished 27th, and finished with a three-round score of 219, good for 6 over par. He also tied for fourth place in the long drive contest in which he showed off his excellent driving ability.

“The fact that he is a big guy works to his advantage,” said Jensen. “That is the reason why he is so successful. He is able to effectively drive the ball with great power off the tee.”

Despite Clark’s great ability as a golfer, Jensen still has to make sure that he can play with the best of them and not get embarrassed.

“Every once in awhile, I have to reinforce that he is a great golfer and that he is much better than he was in high school,” said Jensen. “The reason I do this is not only to help him stay focused, but to keep his confidence up whenever he gets down about himself.”

When Clark isn’t playing golf, he likes to watch sports on television, particularly UNC basketball, and hang out with friends. He credits all of his achievements to his coach and is thankful for them.

“I started playing for fun and did not expect to win any kind of championship or major award,” said Clark. “I wouldn’t be anywhere near my current playing level if it weren’t for my coach. He saw it in me and helped me improve my game big time.”

The Quakers kick off their spring season at the Pine Needles Resort in Southern Pines, N.C. for the Pfeiffer Invitational on Feb. 27-28.