Covering the Land of Lincoln

Watch now: Illinois Wesleyan’s Jim Ott enjoys memorable experience as Team USA co-coach in Arnold Palmer Cup | College Golf

BLOOMINGTON — Jim Ott is not used to losing as Illinois Wesleyan’s men’s golf coach.

Not only did the Titans win the NCAA Division III titles in 2019 and 2021, but IWU has captured 10 straight College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Tournament championships.

Those accolades helped Ott become Team USA co-coach for the Arnold Palmer Cup against an International squad last weekend in Switzerland. Each team consisted of 12 of the best men’s and women’s collegiate golfers squaring off in a Ryder Cup-style format over three days at Golf Club De Genève in Switzerland.

While the Internationals pulled away in the singles session on the final day to break an 18-all tie and beat Team USA, 33-27, that could not spoil one of the greatest weeks in Ott’s life.



Ott

“Seeing the Internationals in a circle singing, ‘Ole, Ole, Ole,’ we had to sit and watch that. But it (the Palmer Cup) was much more than that,” said Ott. “That’s what they said at the beginning. Arnold Palmer always said he didn’t care he won this match. It’s about the relationships and team and collaboration not only between the U.S., but the Internationals and getting to know those players.”

Ott was joined as Team USA co-coach by Kory Henkes, the head women’s coach at Ole Miss. Oklahoma’s Bill Allcorn and Wake Forest’s Ryan Potter served as assistants.

Team USA was led on the men’s side by Michael Thorbjornsen of Stanford, who tied for fourth in the Travelers Championship the week before on the PGA Tour; Travis Vick of Texas, who helped the Longhorns win the NCAA title and was low amateur at the U.S. Open; and Gordon Sargent of Vanderbilt, who took the NCAA individual title as a freshman in May.

The American women were paced by Rose Zhang, Rachel Heck and Brooke Seay of NCAA champion Stanford. Zhang, who won the 2020 U.S. Women’s Amateur, also was NCAA individual medalist and is the No. 1 ranked women’s amateur in the world.



OTT WITH DYLAN MEMANTE

Team USA co-coach Jim Ott, left, and Dylan Menante of Pepperdine wait on the first tee before a match last week in the Arnold Palmer Cup at Golf Club de Genève in Switzerland.



“My biggest revelation was how normal they are. None of them were prima donnas. That was my biggest thing, how down to earth they were,” said Ott. “If you didn’t know they were that great of golfers, they were typical college students.”

Ott, who was accompanied to Switzerland by his wife, Kelly, enjoyed a week full of activities before the matches began. In addition to practice rounds, there was a junior clinic and numerous dinners.

Master of opening ceremonies, in which first-round matches were revealed, was CBS Sports’ Jim Nantz.

One of Ott’s favorite memories of the week was before the opening ceremony. He saw six or seven of the men’s team gathered around someone’s phone watching a YouTube video.

“They didn’t know how to tie a tie,” said Ott, laughing.

Ott was in charge of the men’s side, but there were mixed fourball and foursomes matches that required input from all four coaches to put together pairings.

“We did a lot of research before. We talked to all the players and asked them who you know and who you’re comfortable with. We talked to their (college) coaches as well,” said Ott. “The four of us divided and conquered to get matchups. We had a pretty good idea going there. Once we got there, we finalized it and tweaked a couple based on practice rounds.”

Ott, who was inducted into the Golf Coaches Association of America Hall of Fame in December, tried to gather some information which will help him as IWU’s coach in the future. He asked each of the players how much their college coach works with them on their swings. 

“For the most part it was not at all,” said Ott. “They said we have our own separate swing coach. I was trying to pick their brains.”



OTT AT CLINIC

Team USA co-coach Jim Ott talks to some of the young golfers who came out for a junior clinic during last week’s Arnold Palmer Cup at Golf Club de Genève in Switzerland.



There were a couple differences Ott noticed from top Division I golfers than those he sees in Division III. The misses of Team USA players, especially on drives, wasn’t as great.

Yet that wasn’t what impressed Ott the most.

“They never get wound up or upset,” said Ott. “You see a little mild irritation, but I think they’re so confident they just move on and go. I try to tell our guys (at IWU) that nothing matters but the next shot.”

Ott won’t forget the end of the third session late Saturday afternoon in mixed foursomes. The U.S. duo of Rachel Kuehn and Michael Brennan were clinging to a 1-up lead against the International’s Aline Krauter and Frederik Kjettrup.

The Americans were desperate to win the match and get the competition back to all square heading into Sunday’s singles. On the 17th, Kjettrup hit a shot off the flagstick for a gimme. However, Brennan sank a 30-footer for a halve as they hung on for a 1-up victory. 

“Brennan made that putt and that place erupted,” said Ott.

Even though the final day didn’t go as hoped, Ott wasn’t too dismayed. He enjoyed a conversation afterwards with Amy Palmer Saunders, chair of the Arnold & Winnie Palmer Foundation and the Palmers’ youngest daughter. 

The Arnold & Winnie Palmer Foundation champions its namesakes’ legacy through grantmaking and initiatives that support children’s health, youth character development and nature-focused wellness.

“I told Arnold Palmer’s daughter that at the end, by far, this goes down as one of the most meaningful experiences of my life,” said Ott.

The most physically active cities in the U.S.

The Most Physically Active Cities in the U.S.

The Most Physically Active Cities in the U.S.

Photo Credit: insta_photos / ShutterstockAs COVID-19 cases decline again, many public health restrictions are lifted, and more of life returns to normal, one interesting question for the months and years ahead is how the pandemic will permanently affect people’s habits and lifestyle.One example is fitness and physical activity. With many gyms, pools, and other recreational facilities closed or operating at limited capacity in 2020, the early COVID-19 pandemic raised concerns that lockdowns would decrease levels of physical activity. One study conducted early in the pandemic found that overall physical activity for adults was significantly lower than prior to the pandemic. Meanwhile, many at-home fitness products and services that boomed during the pandemic now face an uncertain future; while some consumers may be returning to their old gyms, others may simply be losing interest.The questions of whether and how much people are exercising post-pandemic are important because maintaining adequate levels of physical activity is a key component of individual and public health. Experts have identified a number of benefits associated with a physically active lifestyle, including reduced blood pressure, improved mood and energy levels, and better sleep. Physically active people are at lower risk for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and even some types of cancers. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) found that a lack of physical activity contributes to 10% of all premature deaths in the U.S.



Physically active cities report lower rates of adverse health conditions

Physically active cities report lower rates of adverse health conditions

Additional data from the CDC appears to confirm how physical activity is associated with a reduction in other potential health risks. According to CDC data, the share of adults in each city who report being physically active has negative correlations with the share of adults reporting chronic health problems like obesity, diabetes, and high cholesterol. There are strong negative correlations for the incidences of obesity and diabetes, while the incidence of high cholesterol shows a more moderate relationship.

Western states have the most physically active adults

Western states have the most physically active adults

The share of adults who report engaging in physical activity also varies widely across states, with highly active states found in several regions of the country. Leading states for physically active adults include Colorado (80.9%), Washington (80.6%), Minnesota, (80.3%), and Vermont (79.8%). In contrast, states in the South show lower levels of physical activity. Southern locations like Mississippi (61.2%), Oklahoma (65%), Kentucky (66.6%), and Louisiana (67.5%) report the lowest levels of activity among their residents. While many of the most active states have excellent natural resources suited to active outdoor lifestyles, a more likely explanation is each state’s income levels. Research has found a correlation between higher levels of income and physical activity, and many top states have higher typical incomes than their less active peers. At the local level, many of the most active cities are found in these same active states, including metros like Seattle, Denver, and Minneapolis.The data used in this analysis is from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s PLACES: Local Data for Better Health. To determine the most physically active locations, researchers at ChamberOfCommerce.org calculated the share of adults who self-reported engaging in leisure-time physical activity such as running, calisthenics, golf, gardening, or walking for exercise. For context, researchers also included statistics on obesity, high cholesterol, diabetes, and depression.Here are the most physically active cities.

The most physically active small and midsize US cities

The most physically active small and midsize US cities

15. Long Beach, CA

15. Long Beach, CA

Photo Credit: Ingus Kruklitis / Shutterstock

  • Share of adults who are physically active: 75.3%
  • Share of adults who are obese: 27.5%
  • Share of adults with high cholesterol: 27.2%
  • Share of adults with diabetes: 10.5%
  • Share of adults with depression: 15.5%



14. Charlotte, NC

14. Charlotte, NC

Photo Credit: digidreamgrafix / Shutterstock

  • Share of adults who are physically active: 76.8%
  • Share of adults who are obese: 29.5%
  • Share of adults with high cholesterol: 29.2%
  • Share of adults with diabetes: 10.7%
  • Share of adults with depression: 20.8%



13. Oakland, CA

13. Oakland, CA

Photo Credit: cdrin / Shutterstock

  • Share of adults who are physically active: 77.2%
  • Share of adults who are obese: 27.6%
  • Share of adults with high cholesterol: 27.3%
  • Share of adults with diabetes: 10.8%
  • Share of adults with depression: 16.3%



12. Virginia Beach, VA

12. Virginia Beach, VA

Photo Credit: Alexandr Junek Imaging / Shutterstock

  • Share of adults who are physically active: 77.4%
  • Share of adults who are obese: 30.4%
  • Share of adults with high cholesterol: 29.0%
  • Share of adults with diabetes: 8.9%
  • Share of adults with depression: 19.4%



11. Albuquerque, NM

11. Albuquerque, NM

Photo Credit: turtix / Shutterstock

  • Share of adults who are physically active: 77.4%
  • Share of adults who are obese: 27.8%
  • Share of adults with high cholesterol: 25.5%
  • Share of adults with diabetes: 9.4%
  • Share of adults with depression: 19.0%



10. San Jose, CA

10. San Jose, CA

Photo Credit: Uladzik Kryhin / Shutterstock

  • Share of adults who are physically active: 77.7%
  • Share of adults who are obese: 22.0%
  • Share of adults with high cholesterol: 25.5%
  • Share of adults with diabetes: 9.3%
  • Share of adults with depression: 13.6%



9. Raleigh, NC

9. Raleigh, NC

Photo Credit: Farid Sani / Shutterstock

  • Share of adults who are physically active: 78.1%
  • Share of adults who are obese: 30.5%
  • Share of adults with high cholesterol: 28.9%
  • Share of adults with diabetes: 9.6%
  • Share of adults with depression: 20.9%



8. Austin, TX

8. Austin, TX

Photo Credit: ShengYing Lin / Shutterstock

  • Share of adults who are physically active: 78.5%
  • Share of adults who are obese: 25.2%
  • Share of adults with high cholesterol: 30.5%
  • Share of adults with diabetes: 9.5%
  • Share of adults with depression: 19.3%



7. San Diego, CA

7. San Diego, CA

Photo Credit: Lucky-photographer / Shutterstock

  • Share of adults who are physically active: 78.6%
  • Share of adults who are obese: 22.6%
  • Share of adults with high cholesterol: 27.3%
  • Share of adults with diabetes: 8.9%
  • Share of adults with depression: 17.8%



6. Portland, OR

6. Portland, OR

Photo Credit: Bob Pool / Shutterstock

  • Share of adults who are physically active: 79.8%
  • Share of adults who are obese: 25.9%
  • Share of adults with high cholesterol: 25.8%
  • Share of adults with diabetes: 7.4%
  • Share of adults with depression: 25.6%



5. Colorado Springs, CO

5. Colorado Springs, CO

Photo Credit: photo.ua / Shutterstock

  • Share of adults who are physically active: 80.1%
  • Share of adults who are obese: 24.4%
  • Share of adults with high cholesterol: 28.8%
  • Share of adults with diabetes: 7.2%
  • Share of adults with depression: 20.1%



4. Denver, CO

4. Denver, CO

Photo Credit: Nicholas Courtney / Shutterstock

  • Share of adults who are physically active: 80.9%
  • Share of adults who are obese: 22.0%
  • Share of adults with high cholesterol: 26.2%
  • Share of adults with diabetes: 7.7%
  • Share of adults with depression: 18.4%



3. San Francisco, CA

3. San Francisco, CA

Photo Credit: Bogdan Vacarciuc / Shutterstock

  • Share of adults who are physically active: 80.9%
  • Share of adults who are obese: 16.1%
  • Share of adults with high cholesterol: 26.8%
  • Share of adults with diabetes: 9.1%
  • Share of adults with depression: 14.5%



2. Minneapolis, MN

2. Minneapolis, MN

Photo Credit: Checubus / Shutterstock

  • Share of adults who are physically active: 81.1%
  • Share of adults who are obese: 27.5%
  • Share of adults with high cholesterol: 25.7%
  • Share of adults with diabetes: 8.8%
  • Share of adults with depression: 22.8%



1. Seattle, WA

1. Seattle, WA

Photo Credit: Jeremy Janus / Shutterstock

  • Share of adults who are physically active: 84.7%
  • Share of adults who are obese: 22.1%
  • Share of adults with high cholesterol: 27.3%
  • Share of adults with diabetes: 7.4%
  • Share of adults with depression: 23.5%



Contact Jim Benson at (309) 820-3404. Follow him on Twitter: @Pg_Benson

Comments are closed.

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Accept Read More