Marshall Golf is.....
In the Swing of Things!!
From The Parthenon Archives
by NAWAR W. SHORA reporter
Some students may think golf is an easy sport -- a walk in the park that does not require personal or emotional strength. Joe Feaganes, head coach of the Thundering Herd golf team said, "It is no walk in the park. The team must persevere for hours at a time during practice in below freezing temperatures. The temperature won't keep us from playing," Feaganes said. The only reason the weather would affect the team is practice is if the ground is frozen."The golf courses don't open if the ground is frozen because it can damage the green," Feaganes said.
During this time of year, the team averages three or four days of practice per week. Feaganes said practice usually takes about four hours to finish. The team has practiced in temperatures as low as 25 degrees. "We have even played in snow," he said.
Feaganes said he sometimes chooses cold days for the team to practice on because when it counts in tournaments it is not always sunny and 70 degrees. The coach said tournaments usually are never canceled unless extreme conditions arise. For that reason, he tests his team in freezing conditions.
"I want to see who has the heart and guts to tough it out and play, because you play like you practice," he said. Matches usually last about four to five hours, and if the team is competing in a 36 hole tournament, it may be out there up to 10 hours. The players have to be ready to perform even if it is in severe and uncomfortable cold weather, Feaganes said.
The cold weather may have hampered the team's preparation period slightly,
but the team is still out in the freezing cold whenever it has the chance.
"When nobody, man or animal wants to be out there, we I'II be there,"
Feaganes said.
From The Parthenon Archives
by NAWAR W. SHORA reporter
The Thundering Herd golf team did not do as well as it would have liked in the 28th Annual Marshall Invitational at the Guyan Golf and Country Club. The Herd came in 13th out of 18 contenders on its home course this past weekend. Marshall was ranked fifth in District IV of the Central region for the NCAA, but after its performance in the Marshall Invitational it will most likely drop a few spots.
Despite some not so pleasant finishes, the Herd performed well during the first day of the Southern Conference tournament, in Greensboro, N.C. Marshall was leading the way Monday by three strokes. Tuesday, the tournament ended and the Herd finished third.
The Herd will have three more chances to continue proving itself. It will play in the Legends Intercollegiate in Franklin, IN., this weekend.
Next, it will compete in the Spartan Invitational in East Lansing, Mich., April 26 and 27. And finally, the team will go to the Kent Intercollegiate in Kent, Ohio, May 2 and 3.
Marshall would have to be ranked in the top six of its district to be invited to the NCAA Central Regional, which takes place May 15 through the 17.
Next year, the team will leave the Southern Conference for the Mid-American Conference.
The Herd has never won a tournament in the S.C.
1996-97 Individual Statistics
| PLAYER | ROUNDS | STROKES | AVG. | LOW | HIGH |
| Sam O'Dell | 33 | 2452 | 74.30 | 69 | 79 |
| Steve Shrawder | 33 | 2510 | 76.06 | 68 | 90 |
| John Duty | 27 | 2069 | 76.62 | 68 | 90 |
| Jimmy McKenzie | 30 | 2311 | 77.03 | 73 | 82 |
| Chris Boyd | 3 | 233 | 77.66 | 76 | 79 |
| A.J. Riley | 20 | 1561 | 78.05 | 73 | 82 |
| Bruce Bevins | 16 | 1258 | 78.62 | 74 | 83 |
| Roberto Falcone | 3 | 238 | 79.33 | 77 | 81 |
Marshall golfer Sam O'Dell was named first-team all-district for NCAA District IV . O'Dell, a freshman from Hurricane, WV led Marshall with a 74.30 stroke average per round. His best finish was a tie for third in the Wolverine Fall Classic at the University of Michigan. O'Dell also had two other top five finishes as well as four additional top 10 finishes. O'Dell is one of only two freshman on the team with the other being Ben Curtis of Kent.
Coach Feaganes has been in the swing of things for a long time!
Head coach Joe Feaganes is entering his 25th year at the helm of the Thundering Herd golf program. Under Feaganes, Marshall has become a power in the region and has enjoyed great success since taking over the head coaching position in 1972. Under Feaganes' leadership, the Marshall golf program has always been very competitive in the Southern Conference and has attained national recognition and respect throughout the world of college golf.
Feaganes, 52, concedes that the Herd golf program hasn't exactly struggled during his tenure. "When I look at what we've accomplished, I realize that we haven't done badly at all," Feaganes said. "However, we want to do better and I have a lot of confidence in the future of our golf program at Marshall." The success of the golf team is a source of pride with Feaganes, who fills his roster with talented golfers and quality people. "You win with players," Feaganes said. "We've been very fortunate to have not only had some fine players come through our program, but we've had some great people. I feel like they are my own sons."
Feaganes, who was Southern Conference Coach of the Year in 1992, was a member of the NCAA National Golf Committee from 1985-1990. He spent five years as the committee's chairman. Feaganes was chosen as coach of the United States team in the annual NCAA vs. Japan collegiate all-star matches held in December of 1985 in Tokyo, Japan. He also served for two years on the NCAA District III Golf Advisory Committee and one year on the District IV Committee. Feaganes has served on the Southern Conference Golf Committee and is active in the Golf Coaches Association of America. He most recently served on the NCAA/USGA Collegiate Relations Committee and currently is a member and chairman of the NCAA District IV Advisory Committee which recommends teams for selection to the NCAA Championship. Feaganes posted impressive credentials while playing golf for the Thundering Herd from 1964-66. He was captain in both his junior and senior years, and won the Mid-American Conference individual crown in 1966 while leading the Herd to a team championship. After graduating from Marshall in 1967 with a B.A. degree in Physical Education and Speech. He continued to remain active in amateur golf. He qualified for the 1968 U.S. Amateur, and in 1975 was the runner-up in the West Virginia Amateur. He was also named to the Virginia's team in the 1975 Virginia's vs. Carolina's team matches. Feaganes was born in Catlettsburg, KY, but graduated from Huntington Vinson High School in 1962. Aside from being an outstanding high school golfer, Feaganes also lettered in football, basketball andtrack. He was a high school football and basketball official for 17 years, and officiated many state playoff games. Feaganes has two daughters: Jodi Ann (25) and Jill Marie (22), both graduates of Marshall.
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