Pebble Beach, Seminole and Baltusrol host events

This week in women’s college golf, teams competed across the country on an enviable slate of courses including Seminole Golf Club, Baltusrol (both Upper and Lower), The Merit Club and Medinah (No. 2).

It’s a trend that has trickled down from the LPGA, where each season the women play more historic and celebrated venues.

“It gives the student-athletes a sense of pride knowing that on the women’s side, that they matter. that they see the equality happening,” said Ohio State head coach Lisa Strom, who hosted the Barbara Nicklaus Cup earlier this year at Muirfield Village.

Strom notes that it takes visionaries to push the envelope, like longtime OSU coach Therese Hession, who started the Palos Verdes event more than 25 years ago and created the Muirfield event, which debuted last year as a mixed tournament.

“Junior golfers are looking at the sport at an entirely different level when they’re looking at schedules that say Pebble Beach, Baltusrol, Seminole,” said Mississippi State coach Charlie Ewing. “I just think that really changes the entire perspective of what college golf is like, especially on the women’s level.”

Here’s a look at 10 college events this fall that are scheduled at can’t-miss locations:

Stanford players pose after winning the Carmel Cup at Pebble Beach (courtesy Stanford)

The Carmel Cup, traditionally held as a men’s event, featured a field of women this season ahead of the 2023 U.S. Women’s Open, which will be contested over Pebble Beach for the first time next summer. Rose Zhang set a women’s course record 9-under 63 en route to the individual title while the Cardinal dominated the team portion by 13 shots.

Mississippi State hosted the event, and Ewing said the practice round was arguably the best day of the tournament as many players saw the iconic course for the first time.

“I think it’s huge,” said Ewing of college women competing at a place like Pebble.”Especially in the same era where television is coming into college golf as well, and I think it’s really special for those to be happening simultaneously. I think it’s taking golf to a whole different level.”

No. 18 of Baltusrol Lower, as it looks after Gil Hanse’s restoration.

The KPMG Women’s PGA heads to Baltusrol next summer, but first, the inaugural Ivy Intercollegiate Tournament was held Oct. 10 and 11 on both the Upper and Lower courses. The event featured 12 teams from the Ivy League…