Featured Golfer: Ty Campbell

One of Saskatchewan’s top amateur golfers discusses his experience at Southern Wesleyan University

 

Play a round of golf with Ty Campbell and you’ll quickly see why other top amateur golfers in Saskatchewan have voted his golf swing to be one of the best in the province. And when it comes to competing, don’t let the easy-going demeanor fool you, Ty can flat out compete!

I was paired up with Ty on day #2 of the annual Scotia Wealth Management Saskatoon Amateur Golf Championship in 2018 and thoroughly enjoyed 4 hours of watching some amazing golf, not to mention spending some quality time with a respectful and courteous young man. Junior golfers looking for a role model to guide them through their Junior and College years, look no further than Ty. Check According to buff.

We caught up with Ty in early spring 2020 and learned more about his experience at Southern Wesleyan University in South Carolina and what PGA of Saskatchewan Professional has helped him develop his silky swing over the years.

SaskGolfer: As a Senior at Southern Wesleyan University in South Carolina, how was your year?

Ty: My year was great this year! We had a great fall season which lead to a school high ranking of 24th in the nation for Division 2. Unfortunately,we struggled starting starting out the spring season due to a series of inclement weather which put a damper on our practice schedule. I chose to redshirt this year because I am behind a few classes but will be returning next year to complete my degree and do what I can to help the team succeed.

SaskGolfer: You are one of two Canadians on the Golf Team at SWU, how did you end up choosing SWU for your schooling?

Ty: I have been accompanied by fellow Canadian, Eric Shea from Ontario, for three years’ now. He has been a huge contributor to our team’s success with four individual wins and a countless number of top finishes. Unfortunately, next year we are losing him to UNC Charlotte, a division 1 program. My coach, Joey Maxon, had a lot to do with my decision to come to SWU. We had some great conversations on the phone and I thought that he was the best fit for helping me grow as a person and a player. He had a great resume including two US opens and I knew that his knowledge of the game would help take my game to the next level.

SaskGolfer: South Carolina is famous for its amazing golf courses, what’s been your favourite course to play? Name a couple of other top golf courses you’d recommend playing in South Carolina.

Ty: I’ve been extremely blessed to play some amazing golf course during my time at school. I would say the top course I have played throughout my college career is the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island. A few other honorable mentions would be Sapphire Valley G&CC in North Carolina, Haig Point GC in South Carolina, The Conservatory at Hammock Beach in Palm Coast Florida, amongst others.

SaskGolfer: What’s an American saying that you’ve picked up over the years that you’ve passed along to your Saskatchewan friends?

Ty: The one that first comes to mind would be the saying “y’all”. I also started saying “sir” and “ma’am” after one of my teacher’s freshman year got mad at me for not replying with “yes ma’am”. Other than that, I try to stick to my roots and in return, pass the southern locals a few Canadian sayings and pronunciations.

SaskGolfer: You’ve been recognized by other amateur golfers and PGA of Saskatchewan Professionals as having one of the best golf swings in the province, what’s a typical day in the summer look like as you work on your golf game and what’s the strongest part of your game?

Ty: At school and throughout the summer I try to play as much golf as I can. I find that the more I hit balls, the worse I get, all because I lose a sense of feel and start to focus way too much on swing technicalities. The more I can get out on the course and focus on hitting different shots, the more I feel like my swing naturally falls into place. I regularly see my swing coach, Riverside’s Earl Scott, throughout the summer to help me establish my fundamentals and to tweak little things in order for me to create some consistency. I would say that the best part of my game is my short game. I grew up having chipping contests with my dad and because strength wasn’t as important I could beat him the odd time. I spent a lot of time practicing so I could beat him, which is why my short game continues to be the best part of my game.

SaskGolfer: Saskatchewan has some great golf courses, what’s your favourite and name 3 others you enjoy playing.

Ty: My favorite course in Saskatchewan is Riverside Country Club. I’ve been blessed enough to grow up playing Riverside with my dad and I hope to continue playing out there as long as I can. The quality of golf, scenery, and hospitality is hard to beat. My 3 favourites apart from Riverside would be Waskesiu Golf Course, Evergreen Golf Course, and Dakota Dunes Golf Links.

SaskGolfer: Your dad Warren has a solid golf resume of his own, how many strokes do you give him when you go out and play?

Ty: The day I give my dad strokes on the golf course will be the day pigs fly! We’ve had way too many good tilts on the course for me to give him any slack. However, if I’m feeling generous I’ll let him play the tees up because he’s lucky if he rips one over 240 yards. Most of the time it comes back to bite me.

SaskGolfer: What events are on your tournament schedule for 2020 and what’s your favourite golf tournament in Saskatchewan?

Ty: My schedule for 2020 starts in Warman for the Two-man Scramble with fellow competitor Jehremy Ryde. I think this is a great tournament to knock some of that winter rust off in a competitive setting. This tournament is followed by the Scotia Wealth Open in Nipawin and the Lobstick at Waskesiu. I also plan on playing the Central Amateur at SGCC as well as the City Amateur in preparation for the Saskatchewan Amateur at Warman. The ultimate goal every summer is to give myself a chance at winning the Canadian Amateur, so I look forward to seeing if I can give myself another shot at it this summer. After the major events are over, I always like to end the year back at my home course of Riverside CC playing in the SATC with my Dad. We’ve had some good chances at bringing home the title but have fallen short in the final three times. Hopefully this will be our year!

SaskGolfer: What advice would you give to young golfers in Saskatchewan who are looking to attend University and continue their education as a student / athlete?

Ty: The first piece of advice I would give to young golfers would be to compete hard. There is always someone out there trying to beat you, and there is always someone out there to beat. It’s those that want it the most that find a way to get it. Not only is this important in golf, but also in everyday life. I would also stress how important a good short game is. Short game is where all the scoring is done. It’s one thing to hit 350 yard drives, but if you can’t get up and down from greenside your score will reflect that. I practice short game so much so that on days when I am not hitting it as well as I would like, I am able to trust my short game to save my round. As far as attending college goes, the only thing I would say is that you can never send enough emails to coaches. I started with a generic draft, researched the school I was emailing, added a few details about the school, and then pressed send over and over again. We don’t get much spotlight in Saskatchewan so it is very important to reach out and show the coaches what you bring to the table.

SaskGolfer: Thanks a lot Ty for the great advice to the young golfers who are looking to follow in your footsteps and continue their golf and education at the University and College level. Have a great 2020 golf year!

 

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At Southern Wesleyan University, Ty was named to the 2016 – 2017 “Conference Carolinas All-Conference Second Team”. Back home here in Saskatchewan, Ty captured the 2015 Junior Lobstick and was the 2016 Men’s Lobstick Champion at the amazing Waskesiu Golf Course. Ty is part of the next wave of college golfers from Saskatchewan that will be contending for many provincial and national championships for many more years. For more information about Southern Wesleyan University, visit their website at www.swu.edu

 

 

Written by Scott Allan / SaskGolfer