STUDENTS SPOTLIGHT – CORBAN UNIVERSITY GOLF TEAM

By Tim Banick

I recently became the director of golf instruction at Corban University in Salem, Oregon. I have just completed my first year with the team.  Although I have my own private golf instruction practice, I felt called to reach out to Corban University to see if there was an opportunity to give back some golf experience to the men’s and women’s teams.

The desire to give back happened when I was introduced to golf. I was a 7th grader taking a lesson from a local professional. At the first lesson, my instructor asked me what I wanted from the lesson. I said, “I would like a swing that will last a lifetime.” He responded, “I can do that.”

I am now 67 and what he taught me is still with me today. I enjoy teaching golf to all ages, but especially the college age. My goal is to share what I have learned with the next generation and learn from them.

The golf teams currently compete within the NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics). The teams are comprised of 12 men and nine women golfers. Most players are local; however, we have players from the Midwest, Nevada, Montana, and one from Africa. It has been a great experience to be on this journey that started August 2025 and see their progress to the present.

I am blessed to be able to focus on all things golf rather than the administration piece, which is handled by head coach Charlie Marshall. He has been gracious to allow me to focus on the golf disciplines, i.e., ball striking, short game (chipping, putting, bunker play), and most importantly, the mental aspects of the game. I made a promise early on that I would not undo or change their golf swings, but focus on a golf process and work within their talent.

One of the opportunities has been to observe all 21 players’ golf processes. My USGTF private practice has taught me to document details that are being covered with students and keep the drills and aspects fresh and current. One thing I like best about working with college students is they will voice their opinions and let you know if the information being communicated is understood and effective. One interesting thought I want to share with other USGTF members relates to practice plans. I was asked to develop practice plans with the players. I discovered using ChatGPT that within minutes, you can develop and customize a practice plan with your student(s). I asked ChatGPT to produce a practice plan for certain criteria and quickly a document was produced that can be adapted to what works for the player and matured over time. As I look back over the past months, I have seen great progress. I measure progress not just in a golf score, but rather the players character, team dynamics, golf process improvement, attitude, and living out their faith. I see the drills and details that we are working on coming out on the golf course, which is very satisfying. A recent first, second, and third sweep by our men’s team at a tournament in Washington state was very cool.