Connor Smulders

Featured
Golf
March 31, 2004

Video

About Athlete

My long-term goal is to complete a business degree at a suitable college in the USA and to then hopefully one day settle and work in the USA. Ideally my career one day will be in the golf industry. In the medium term it would be ideal to play college golf so that I can build up the contacts and relationships for the future.

GPA

English (84% - A)
Mathematics (88% - A+)
Life Orientation (90% - A+)
Geography (93% - A+)
Business (85% - A+)
Accounting (73% - B+)
Afrikaans (2nd Language) (83% - A)

Championships

Tournament Scoring Average: 84.4 (gross) / 75.9 (Net)

Rankings

  • Top 100 in Northern Gauteng at no 98

Teams

  • Member of St Albans 1st team 2020 and 2021
  • Captain of St Albans Golf Team 2021

Tournaments

  • 1999 Woodlands Golf Championship (Serengeti Golf Estate): 3 rounds / 260 score / 87 (avg score) / 77 (avg net score) / position 51st
  • Jan 2020 Bridge Fund Series (Wingate Park): 1 round / 94 score / 84 (net score) / position 74th
  • Feb 2020 Northern Gauteng Juniors (Zwartkops): 1 round / 82 score / 72 (net score) / position 32th
  • March 2020 College Golf Championships (Dainfern): 3 rounds / 250 score / 83 (avg score) / 73 (avg net score) / position 28th
  • May 2021 Waterkloof Club Champs (Waterkloof GC): 2 rounds / 163 score / 82 (avg score) / 75 (avg net score) / position 3rd (Juniors)

Social rounds (demonstrate improvement and potential):

  • April 2021 Serengeti Golf Club: 76 gross score (73 net)
  • March 2021 Waterkloof Golf Club: 75 gross score (72 net)
  • March 2021 Waterkloof Golf Club: 77 gross score (74 net)

Golf swings

Driver – 285 meters (312 yards)

3 wood – 255 meters (279 yards)

3 iron – 225 meters (246 yards)

4 iron – 210 meters (230 yards)

5 iron – 195 meters (213 yards)

6 iron – 185 meters (202 yards)

7 iron – 170 meters (185 yards)

8 iron – 155 meters (170 yards)

9 iron – 140 meters (153 yards)

P wedge – 130 meters (142 yards)

G wedge (50 degree) – 118 meters (130 yards)

S wedge (54 degree) – 96 meters (105 yards)

L wedge (60degree) – 88 meters (96 yards)

Additional sporting info

I have excelled in many sports (including golf, cricket, soccer, hockey, archery, sports shooting) and demonstrated the ability to reach the highest levels by winning a silver medal at the Archery World Championships and breaking a world record (which I still hold today). 

The similarities between Archery and Golf are the balance between athlete and equipment and the required control of mind and body to make the perfect shot time and time again. 

What makes you different?

I am a high-performance and self-motivated young man who has excelled academically, on the sports field and in many of my interests outside of the school. I am a pleasant, well-mannered person who is fun to be around and I am a natural leader among my peers.

I have travelled around the world including:
3 weeks in the USA on a Harvard Leadership Development, Young Ambassadors Program;
1 week in Romania representing South Africa at the World Championships for Indoor Archery; and
6 months at the LISA (International School) in Linz, Austria.

Why do you want to compete in college?

On a recent visit to the USA I spent time with a fellow South African who has an exciting job in the golf industry. He used his golf skills to be able to help him afford a US College education and then used the contacts and relationships he made during his college years to get the job in the golf industry.

College Goals?

I would like to play my part in a team that can be successful during the season and would ideally want my golf to improve under a good coach and to level where I can successfully compete in relevant individual tournaments.

Anything else we should know?

As mentioned earlier, when I have previously applied my mind and focus to a particular sport, I have managed to reach the highest levels of performance. I got National Colors for Archery, represented South Africa at the World Champs (winning a silver medal) and am the current holder of an u13 world record. I know what it takes to reach these levels in terms of commitment, sacrifice and effort.

I have decided to focus on golf after getting down to a single figure handicap as only a social golfer. I have started competitive golf relatively late but I relish the challenge to prove myself in a game I love.

Education

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St Albans College (Pretoria, South Africa)

Graduation year: 2022