Student-Athlete Becomes Biweekly Blogger for Golfweek Magazine

As a college golfer interested in sports journalism, Todd Eckstein '15 couldn't pass up the opportunity to blog for Golfweek Magazine. It came naturally for Eckstein. His parents were both pro golfers, and he received his first set of clubs at age two.

"Because I've grown up around golf, the language comes very easily. I'm comfortable writing about it," he said.

Golfweek wanted four student golfers, two male and two female, to write for the magazine's Player's Diary blog about their experiences playing college golf, including tournaments, practices, and activities off the course. Eckstein explained, "The target audience is potential college golfers who want to know more about the experience, and also people generally interested in golf who want to get to know the game and the people behind it."

Eckstein first delved into journalism about a year ago when he wrote an article for The Davidsonian titled "Wildcat at Heart." He wrote about embracing the challenge of being a student-athlete at Davidson, "Our administration and student body value the development of the person as a whole to the point where there is no such thing as a path of least resistance for our student-athletes," he wrote.

The article proved helpful when Sean Martin, a former writer for Golfweek, started following Eckstein on Twitter. Eckstein asked Martin about student blogger positions at the magazine, and attached the article as a writing sample. Eckstein then shadowed Martin at a PGA tournament in Charlotte, and Martin helped Eckstein apply for the Golfweek position.

In his application, Eckstein set himself apart from other players. "My pitch was that I could give them a different perspective. The other writers were from BCS schools like Berkeley and Oklahoma State, which offer a bit of a different feel. I said I thought it would be beneficial for the magazine to get Davidson's mid-major perspective."

Although Davidson doesn't offer a journalism major, Eckstein feels that the college prepares students for any type of writing. "I think my writing has greatly improved since I've been here," he said. "I feel well-equipped to write in any area, whether it's journalistic, academic, or creative."

Eckstein considers his decision to play golf at Davidson the best one he's ever made. "It was a really welcoming place. People were genuinely happy that I had come, whether or not they were on the golf team." He added, "Coach Tim Straub is also incredibly knowledgeable. He has really helped improve my game, mostly in the way I think around the course."

Eckstein is enjoying writing about his personal experiences in a creative format and learning from seasoned sports writers. While his ultimate goal is to play professional golf after college, he said, "If I can't play for a living, being a golf journalist would be my preferred way to stay involved. I love the game too much not to be around it."

Political science major Todd Eckstein '15 contributes biweekly blog posts to Golfweek Magazine. He is a member of the Davidson golf team, a hall counselor, and a college life leader.