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Former CJGA National Champion Cory Bartlett Enjoys Successful NCAA Freshman Year Cory Bartlett was a standout junior golfer during his years as a CJGA member with two national championships under his belt as well as an appearance on CJGA Team Canada in 2004. This past year, Cory competed as a freshman at Lincoln Memorial University, winning freshman of the year honours. So how did the CJGA help him with the transition?By Roy Gentles roy.gentles@cjga.com For the path along which most junior golfer’s travel, college golf is perceived to be the light at the end of the tunnel. The opportunity to parlay a solid junior golf career into an opportunity to compete at the post-secondary level and gain a top-notch education is a common goal among the junior golf elite. The Canadian Junior Golf Association (CJGA) is not only the place to provide the junior golfers of today with the best in coaching and competition, but also to assist junior golfers in the pursuit of a successful collegiate golfing experience. Cory Bartlett, from Shanty Bay, Ont., was a member of the CJGA from 2001 through 2006. This past year Bartlett began his college golf career as a freshman at NCAA Division II Lincoln Memorial University (LMU) in Harrogate, Tennessee and by all accounts, it was a seamless transition.  As a member of the CJGA, Bartlett won a number of tournaments, most notably, the Mizuno CJGA National Golf Championship and Ping Canadian Junior Match Play Championship in 2004. Bartlett’s success has continued into his first year of college golf where he accumulated three top-five finishes in the Tusculum College Fall Classic, LMU Fall Invitational and the J. Ralph Hargett Memorial Intercollegiate Men’s Golf tournament. To cap off his impressive first year, Bartlett was recently named the LMU 2007-08 Freshman of the Year for the Men’s golf program. Building off of his first year’s accomplishments, Bartlett is looking to get in the win column in 2008/2009, “I had a few chances to do this in my freshman year but just didn't have the experience yet at this level,” he admits. In order to have the chance to compete at the college level Bartlett had to attract college coaches’ interest and make the transition from junior golf to college golf.One of the biggest tasks facing junior golfers wishing to advance their golf career is getting selected by a college golf program. Bartlett tackled this problem by being a part of University Prospects Sports Recruitment Service, which helped him get his name out to college coaches, and by playing in as many tournaments as possible. “The CJGA allowed me to play in some big tournaments held all over Canada,” he says, “CJGA Team Canada allowed me to play against tough competition and get my name out there.” In 2004, Bartlett earned his way onto CJGA Team Canada for the Mizuno North America Cup in South Carolina, competing against a tough American contingent in a Ryder Cup format. The team pulled off an impressive victory that year, its first outside of Canada. Bartlett advises junior golfers about the importance of following up any e-mail or phone call received from a coach, “you have to follow up quickly in order to show your interest.” Once you have attracted the attention of college coaches you must then decide which college is right for you. When choosing a college there are many factors one must consider from academic programs, size, location, and level of competition. In the NCAA there are three levels of competition: Division I, II and III.DI programs are considered to be the highest level of competition and normally encompass the larger colleges, while DII and DIII programs are usually based out of smaller colleges. “There are a lot very good DII and DIII golf programs,” advises Bartlett. Unless you are at the top of the list, DII is a very good way to go because you will get the same experience and instead of just sitting on the bench, you’re able to travel and play a lot more.” The experience gained from travel and tournament play will ultimately help players in their development but in order to successfully make the transition from junior to college golf there are many challenges players must overcome. Physically, the most important thing a player can do to stay competitive is eat healthy, and ensure they are working out according to their schedule. Mentally, it is important for players to adjust to the tournament load and the competition. “The CJGA helped me because of its wide range of tournaments and the competition available. You can play in a tournament almost every week which is key in getting as much experience as possible. I found I had some great experiences with the CJGA and that made the transition into college golf a little easier.” Looking to the future Bartlett believes that “everyone's dream is to make it to the PGA tour and I have that goal as well.” He will continue to work on his game with the help of his coach, Mary Pat Quilty, at Horseshoe Resort Valley Course in Barrie, Ont. As for support, Bartlett believes that his parents have had the greatest influence on his golfing career. “Without your parents support and hard work, nobody can get anywhere in any sport,” he says. As Bartlett prepares for his ultimate goal of entering the PGA, he looks to follow his own advice for all junior golfers, “work as hard as you can and never give up on any opportunity. “
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