USGTF professional Bob Cardea has been the head coach of the Rutgers-Camden men’s golf team for the past 21 years, but in the past seven year the program has turned it up a notch. For the fifth time in those seven years – and for the third consecutive year – Rutgers-Camden has qualified for the NCAA Division III Mens’ Golf Championship. Cardea said the school making the coaching position a full-time job seven years ago made a huge difference.
“It allowed me to spend more time recruiting; recruiting is huge,” he said. “I’ve been able to establish an entire program as a result of being named a full-time coach. The bottom line is that I treat it like a legitimate program.”
No one could argue that point. Given that there are several hundred schools that play Division III golf and only 41 qualified for this year’s championship, to make it into the field even one year is a great accomplishment. To do it as often as Cardea’s team has done recently means that Rutgers-Camden is on the verge of becoming a true powerhouse. Rutgers-Camden has also become the top program in the North Eastern Athletic Conference, winning that championship several times.
“My goal is to be in the top 15 nationwide,” said Cardea. He stated that although next year he only has one returning starter, his incoming players are likely to make a huge impact in 2015-16, meaning Cardea’s goal could become a reality sooner rather than later.
“In order to be a legitimate team, you have to have it all,” said Cardea. That includes simulators, a golf-specific workout program, and other amenities normally found at larger Division I schools. Cardea has been able to implement that since attaining full-time status.
When it comes to the USGTF, Cardea is a big supporter. He has three assistants, and encourages them to go through the USGTF program. One of them, Andrew Pierson, competed in the United States Golf Teachers Cup in 2014 in Nevada.
With Cardea at the helm – and he shows no signs of slowing down – Rutgers-Camden is sure to be a serious force on the national scene for the foreseeable future.
“It allowed me to spend more time recruiting; recruiting is huge,” he said. “I’ve been able to establish an entire program as a result of being named a full-time coach. The bottom line is that I treat it like a legitimate program.”
No one could argue that point. Given that there are several hundred schools that play Division III golf and only 41 qualified for this year’s championship, to make it into the field even one year is a great accomplishment. To do it as often as Cardea’s team has done recently means that Rutgers-Camden is on the verge of becoming a true powerhouse. Rutgers-Camden has also become the top program in the North Eastern Athletic Conference, winning that championship several times.
“My goal is to be in the top 15 nationwide,” said Cardea. He stated that although next year he only has one returning starter, his incoming players are likely to make a huge impact in 2015-16, meaning Cardea’s goal could become a reality sooner rather than later.
“In order to be a legitimate team, you have to have it all,” said Cardea. That includes simulators, a golf-specific workout program, and other amenities normally found at larger Division I schools. Cardea has been able to implement that since attaining full-time status.
When it comes to the USGTF, Cardea is a big supporter. He has three assistants, and encourages them to go through the USGTF program. One of them, Andrew Pierson, competed in the United States Golf Teachers Cup in 2014 in Nevada.
With Cardea at the helm – and he shows no signs of slowing down – Rutgers-Camden is sure to be a serious force on the national scene for the foreseeable future.
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200 S. Indian River Drive, Suite #206, Fort Pierce, FL 34950
772-88-USGTF or 772-595-6490 - www.usgtf.com