Sept. 29, 2006
By Chris Masters
Odds are Cole Isban has never crossed paths with either Mike O’Connell, Sr., or Pat Danahy. However, by the time the 2006-07 college golf season comes to an end, the senior from South Bend hopes to stand side-by-side with those former Irish greats, becoming the first Notre Dame golfer in 42 years to earn the title of All-American, an honor last won by O’Connell and Danahy in 1964.
Judging by his stats, one would have to like Isban’s chances to join that elite All-America golf fraternity. A two-time PING All-Midwest Region Team and all-BIG EAST Conference selection, Isban owns both the single-season and career-stroke average records at Notre Dame, carding a 72.97 mark in 2005-06 and entering his final season under the Golden Dome with a 74.10 stroke ratio, the latter mark standing one-third of a shot better than Charles Thurn’s 74.33 total from 1956-58. Isban also has posted 12 top-10 finishes in his career, including six top-five outings, with his best performance being a tie for medalist honors at the 2005 Shoal Creek Intercollegiate, firing a six-under par 210 (tying the second-lowest score in school history) at the prestigious Shoal Creek Country Club in Birmingham, Ala.
Now entering his second season as a captain for the Irish, Isban is charged with setting the tone for a young Notre Dame squad that has won BIG EAST titles and advanced to the NCAA regionals in each of his first three years with the program. Not surprisingly, Isban has shown impressive growth during that period, lowering his seasonal stroke average by more than one shot each year and remaining an exceptionally reliable factor in the Irish lineup. In fact, Isban has played 103 competitive rounds as a collegian entering the ’06-07 season, with his score counting to the team total a staggering 95 times — a 92.2 percent efficiency that ranks among the best in school history.
Yet, for a golfer as driven as Isban, it’s those eight rounds that didn’t count that remain his focus for the upcoming season.
“I feel like my physical abilities have improved every year and from that standpoint, I believe I can compete with the best college golfers in the country,” he said. “The last piece of the puzzle I need to become that complete player is my mental game. If I can go into every tournament relaxed and calm and in a good mental place, where I know I can perform to the best of my ability, I’ll have taken that final step.”
“Cole is set to have a big year for us,” third-year Notre Dame head coach Jim Kubinski said. “I’ve never seen his swing look quite as solid as it looks right now. He is playing with great competitiveness and confidence. He is certainly the heart and soul of this team and his play will have a significant impact on how well we fare nationally. He’s a great leader for us in so many ways. If he continues to play as he is right now, I feel he’ll have an excellent opportunity to be recognized as an All-American this season.”
When he’s not competing for Notre Dame during the college golf season, Isban has developed into a regular contender on the national amateur circuit. He has played in the U.S. Amateur Championship and Western Amateur Championship the past three years, advancing to the 16-man match play ladder at the 2005 Western Am. Isban also claimed medalist honors at a local qualifying tournament for the 2006 U.S. Open, and has seven top-25 amateur finishes to his credit during the past three summers alone.
“I really enjoy playing the national amateur events during the summer,” Isban said. “They have helped my game just as much as playing on the college level, mainly because you’re going up against the best players in the country on a week-in, week-out basis. It’s great preparation for the college season and allows me to work on some things that I can use when I get back on campus in the fall.”
Coming into his senior season, Cole Isban owns both the single-season and career stroke average records at Notre Dame, carding a 72.97 mark in 2005-06 and a 74.10 stroke average in his first three seasons with the Irish.
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All of Isban’s success on the golf course can be traced back to his days at Marian High School in Mishawaka, Ind., as well as his early exposure to the junior golf circuit. Isban was ranked as one of the top 25 junior golfers in America during his senior year of high school, according to both the Golfweek/Titleist survey and the U.S. Junior Golf Scoreboard. A two-time prep All-America selection and three-time all-state, all-city and all-conference pick, Isban led Marian to the 2001 Indiana state title, finished among the top three at the state tournament on three occasions and was Indiana’s top-ranked golfer as a senior in 2003. He also participated in the U.S. Junior Match Play Championship and finished 10th at the Western Junior Championship during his formative years.
Thus, it might come as a bit of a surprise to some that Isban initially had reservations about attending Notre Dame.
“I love my family and the school, but I did consider the possibility of not wanting to stay so close to home,” Isban said. “Ultimately, I realized that a degree from Notre Dame is so incredibly valuable, because if my golf career didn’t work out, I would always have that diploma to carry me through. I also thought the golf program was headed in the right direction and I wanted to be a part of helping that development.” Isban’s decision was put to the test early in his college career, when Notre Dame underwent a coaching change midway through his sophomore season. The staff that had recruited Isban to the program — former head coach John Jasinski and assistant coach Chris Whitten — stepped aside for personal reasons and were replaced by Kubinski, a veteran assistant with the nationally-ranked men’s and women’s programs at Duke. Isban admitted that it was a change that took some time to get used to.
“I had been very happy with the staff we had,” Isban said. “The switch was hard, and at first, I didn’t like it. But I realized pretty quickly that things always change and I was the one who needed to adapt. Just like the other guys on this team, I have a responsibility to help this program in every way I can. In golf, coaching is important, but each individual player ultimately has to be held accountable for his own performance.” Another positive change that has affected Isban and his Notre Dame teammates lately has been the completion of the $2.1 million Robert and Marilyn Rolfs Family All-Season Varsity Golf Facility, located at the edge of the Warren Golf Course near the intersections of Douglas and Twyckenham Roads. The two-story facility, which will be dedicated in ceremonies this weekend, features an expansive 4,820-square foot indoor putting and chipping area, complete with a sand bunker. In addition, six heated indoor/outdoor tee stations have been built to allow players the chances year-round use of the driving range, while coaches evaluate their performance with the latest video equipment built into the hitting bays. New locker rooms and player lounges, as well as coaches’ offices, also are prime features of the facility.
“This new building is going to give us a real leg up on other programs and the results are going to be pretty obvious early on,” Isban said. “I’m already excited to get in there and put it to good use.”
When it comes to life after Notre Dame, Isban is still weighing his options. He is on track to graduate in May 2007 with a bachelor’s degree in marketing from the Mendoza College of Business, but a professional golf career is likely his next step. Should his current development continue in 2006-07, Isban would move into the professional ranks following the conclusion of the college golf season, working to qualify for tournaments on the Hooters and Nationwide Tours before attending the PGA Tour Qualifying School (known as `Q-School’) in the fall to try and earn his PGA Tour playing card. He also has contemplated maintaining his amateur status through the summer of 2007 and sharpening his game before going to Q-School, a decision that could involve returning to the U.S. Amateur and Western Amateur Championships for a fourth consecutive year. “I want to give myself at least two-to-four years to make it on the professional golf circuit,” Isban said. “I’m currently working with my family and other people close to me to come up with the best direction for my future. At this point, I’m just focused on doing all I can to enjoy my last year at Notre Dame, help us win another BIG EAST title and take that next step to advance from regionals to the NCAA finals. That would be a great way to end my college career and really build a bridge to that next phase in my life.”