LEXINGTON, VA. Nov. 8, 2023 — Zac Somers ’24 wasn’t hitting his shots the Sunday at a golf tournament. His swings weren’t looking good. The day just felt off. He needed some support to continue on the course.  

“I couldn't hit a shot to save my life,” he said. “I called my mom like, ‘Hey, Mom, I don't know if I want to quit, or I don't know if I want to go.’” 

He went to his car and took a moment to set his mind straight.

“I sat there and had a long conversation with God. He told me to play. Did I do good? No. But I did better than Saturday,” Somers said.  

As the cadet in charge (CIC) for Virginia Military Institute’s Golf Club, he said often times the sport is a mental game.  

"With golf, it's an individual sport. It's all in their head. You basically have to be mentally strong. And that's something that I've struggled with in the past, just that mentality,” he said. 

Somers got involved with the game of golf thanks to his grandfather. He credits him as his biggest inspiration when it comes to the sport. At a young age, he’d hit the links with his grandfather, then he started playing in middle and high school.  

When he got to VMI, his dyke (upperclass mentor) was part of the golf club. He decided to join his 3rd Class year, played a few tournaments and then by his 2nd Class year he was named assistant cadet in charge. Now, serving as CIC for the club, he’s been instrumental in forming a new tournament with the club, which began last year. 

Made up of 32 members, the club this year is all male cadets, but it is open to females. Part of the National Collegiate Club Golf Association, the club participates in various tournaments within that association. For each tournament only eight members can attend. Somers said it’s dependent on score and skill and varies for each event.  

"We're starting to compete in everything, we want the best of the best in barracks, however, really, the club is just for those who like to play golf,” he said.  

Ian Struzzieri ’24, a history major, said he got involved with golf club after his roommate was the CIC two years ago. He’s been playing golf for about three years and thinks the club is important at VMI because there’s a good golfer population on post.  

"The team provides practice for the guys to go out and play or hit the range. It also brings that competitive atmosphere of a regular sport into the club realm,” he said.  

He uses his time in the club as a departure from cadet life. 

"The grind of golf lets all of life’s stressors go away,” he said. 

Allen Stewart ’24, a civil engineering major, joined during his 3rd Class year. He’s been playing golf for most of his life, starting with his father. He said that the key to golf is the willingness to play and have fun while not taking it too seriously. It’s a chance to go out and have fun with your brother rats, he said.  

Their home turf is Lexington Golf and Country Club and, even if they stay local to practice, it allows cadets to get off post and relax their minds.  

"To have the ability to just get off post in my opinion is the best thing,” Somers said. "There are  some club sports that don't even leave post. Luckily for us, we have to leave post in order to practice.” 

But Somers has some rules — respect the course.  

“At the beginning of each semester [I explain] expectations on and off the course. Play fair, play right. Respect the course,” he said. 

Practicing in Lexington allows for participating cadets to also connect with those on the course, which tend to be a lot of alumni, Somers said. The civil engineering major said he’s able to talk to alumni and make connections that could help him upon graduation.  

"It's a good way to network with the alumni while playing golf,” he said. “It's the fact of networking and being able to get off post and meet new people. Get a taste of the civilian life, basically.” 

Laura Peters Shapiro
Communications & Marketing
VIRGINIA MILITARY INSTITUTE