It's 9:15 a.m. on Friday morning and "Doc" Shelby is already a good four hours into his day at Vanderbilt Legends Club. It is a day that will not end until the sun has come down in the evening. Every day during the past week has been equally as long for Shelby.
Between meetings, the constant buzzing of his cell phone, communications on his radio and the barrage of people constantly pulling him in 50 different directions, Shelby has been going none stop for the past week.
Even now as he sits down for a few minutes, he is still working. His phone buzzes with messages from golf course officials, tournament staff members approach him with questions and he has to step away in mid-conversation to address a volunteer. To say Shelby has been busy this week is an egregious understatement.
But Shelby (pictured above with the team), a 1974 Vanderbilt graduate and avid supporter of the school's women's golf program, wouldn't have it any other way.
Vanderbilt University photographer John Russell captured 60 incredible images of the Commodores during Friday's fourth round of the 2012 NCAA Championships at Vanderbilt Legends Club, including photos of senior Marina Alex's walk down her final collegiate hole with Head Coach Greg Allen.
Dores show fight on final day VU cards three-under 285 to cap NCAA Championships in 11th. » Friday, May 25 | Michael Scholl
The Vanderbilt women's golf team was not about to let the 2012 NCAA Championships conclude on their home course without closing out strong.
The Commodores did just that in the fourth and final round of the NCAA Championships at the Vanderbilt Legends Club, shooting a three-under 285 to finish in 11th place. It took a strong finish, as Vandy got 11 birdies on the final four holes.
Senior Marina Alex, playing in her final collegiate round, was up-and-down early, but capped her career with four-straight birdies on holes six-nine. Alex shot even par on both sides, finishing at 72.
Alex capped the championship at +5 (293) and finished tied for 14th on the individual leaderboard.
Community service at NCAAs Golfers give back to the community during their time in Middle Tennessee. » Friday, May 25 | Ryan Schulz
During the 2012 NCAA Division I Women's Golf Championships, participants had the opportunity to partake in two community initiatives in an effort to promote community service at NCAA championships.
Participants donated new and gently used golf shoes to The First Tee of Nashville. The First Tee of Nashville is a youth golf program whose mission is "to improve the educational and character development of Nashville's youth through the learning of golf's positive core values like sportsmanship, honesty, integrity and judgment."
The program received a donation of approximately 50 pairs of shoes from Division I Women's golf student-athletes, coaches, volunteers and fans. The shoes will go to underprivileged youth in The First Tee program.
Every tee shot is from the same distance and every pin is in the same location for all 24 teams competing in the NCAA Women's Golf Championships, but half the field is seemingly playing a different course than the other teams each day.
The NCAA Championships are being played at the 18-hole Vanderbilt Legends Club North Course, but this week the course could just as well be considered two separate tracks; the Morning Course and Afternoon Course.
Through 54 of 72 holes at the NCAA Championships, teams teeing off in the morning have had a sizable edge - 92 strokes, in fact - over teams in the afternoon, and the root of the cause can be traced to changing course conditions.
In the mornings, the temperatures are cooler, the wind is yet to pick up and the greens are softer. As the day progresses, the temperature rises, the wind picks up and the greens dry out, becoming faster.
Brandon Barca, of VUcommodores.com, roamed the beautiful course at Vanderbilt Legends Club Thursday afternoon to capture the Commodores in action in the third round of the NCAA Championships.
The Vanderbilt women's golf team had one of its most frustrating rounds of the season during the third round of the NCAA Division I Women's Golf Championship on Thursday, May 24, at the Vanderbilt Legends Club.
The Commodores shot a 23-over par round of 311 to fall into a tie for 16th. Holes 10-18, which were the first nine Vanderbilt played, saw the four Commodores that scored play them at 17-over par.
Marina Alex had the most solid round for Vanderbilt. The senior carded a four-over 76 with a matching 38 on each side. Alex's lone birdie of the day came on the par-five ninth to conclude the round.
On the individual leaderboard, Alex is tied for 23rd and nine strokes behind the leaders (-4).
Vanderbilt will enter the final day tied for 16th with Michigan State. The Commodores and Spartans will be joined by Pepperdine (T-18th/+39) on the 10th tee at 8:28 a.m.
We're back with another edition of "What's In My Bag" at the 2012 NCAA Women's Golf Championships.
Earlier this week during Vanderbilt's practice rounds, junior Anna Leigh Keith joined Andrew Boggs in the popular segment and revealed the items she carries on the golf course.
Keith, who keeps the Commodores loose with her outgoing personality, did give us the scoop on her cleaning brush, workout band, poker chip ball marker, collection of gloves, and a number of head covers ("I'm like an old woman," she joked.).
Marina Alex (No. 3) and Lauren Stratton (No. 23) each entered the NCAA Championships ranked among the nation's top golfers and seemed destined for good performances this week on a familiar course that each has played countless times. The two may still end up near the top of the leaderboard at the Vanderbilt Legends Club North Course, but it will be of no thanks to their opening round performances.
Alex carded an uncharacteristic 5-over 77 and Stratton was just two shots better, firing an opening-round 75 on Tuesday. The end result was not what anyone could have expected from Vanderbilt's two most experienced and steady players. With its top two players struggling to gain traction, Vanderbilt tumbled near the bottom of the leaderboard after round one. Vanderbilt's difficulties on day one were a surprise to most, including Head Coach Greg Allen, who summarized it best. "Shocked," he said when asked about the team's first-round play.
Dores charge into top 10 Vanderbilt shoots four-under 284 in second round. » Wednesday, May 23 | Michael Scholl
The Vanderbilt women's golf team put together a solid second round performance at the NCAA Division I Women's Golf Championships, being held at the Commodores' home course at the Vanderbilt Legends Club.
Vanderbilt shot a four-under 284 in the second round to bring its two-round total to a 14-over 590. The four-under round was the second lowest of the day, trailing only South Carolina's seven-under performance. The Commodores sit in 10th place at the halfway mark of the championship.
The Commodores had an early tee time, giving them a chance to redeem a rough opening round that put them in a tie for 22nd entering the day. They also were staring the same back nine at Legends that gave them fits Tuesday, as they opened Wednesday's action on the 10th tee.
Vanderbilt's 10th place slot means they will tee off at 12:03 p.m. on the 10th tee along with 11th-place Duke and 12th-place Texas.
Vanderbilt University photographers John Russell and Joe Howell followed the Commodores during their first round of the NCAA Championship. Check out their amazing images from Tuesday at Vanderbilt Legends Club.
VU frosh thrives in the moment Vandy struggles on back nine on day one of NCAA Championships. » Tuesday, May 22 | Ryan Schulz
As a freshman playing in her first NCAA Championship, no one could have faulted Kendall Martindale if she had gotten off to a slow start and experienced a few noticeably rough patches during her opening round on Tuesday.
By this stage of the year, most freshmen have resumes that look more like that of a sophomore not only academically, but also athletically. However, no matter how seasoned a freshmen is on the golf course, no other tournament can properly prepare a golfer for what they face at their first NCAA Championship.
But instead of joining the long list of wide-eyed freshmen who have staggered upon arriving on the big stage, Martindale did just the opposite. The Jefferson City, Tenn., native seized the moment and blocked out and would-be distractions by shooting a 3-over 75. The score tied for the best of the day by a Commodore (Lauren Stratton) and placed her into a tie for 47th overall.
Dores in 22nd after day one Vandy struggles on back nine on day one of NCAA Championships. » Tuesday, May 22 | Michael Scholl
Hosting the NCAA Division I Women's Golf Championship at the Vanderbilt Legends Club, the Vanderbilt women's golf team struggled to defend its home turf during the first round and finds itself tied for 22nd place after shooting an 18-over 306.
Individually, Lauren Stratton and Kendall Martindale find themselves tied for 47th, while Marina Alex is tied for 85th.
Action resumes on Wednesday, May 23, with the first tee times at 7:30 a.m. The Commodores will again be joined by Texas A&M and LSU, this time starting on the 10th tee at 8:28 a.m.
Where do you head once you get to the NCAA Women's Golf Championships at Vanderbilt Legends Club? If you are here to watch an individual player or a specific team, the answer is simple; you follow the the team or individual hole-by-hole.
If you are just wanting to experience championship-level golf, figuring out where to go can be much more difficult. With a course setup that measures 6,377 yards, there is plenty of green space for everyone to choose from, but where are the best locations to watch?
When the top college golfers invade Middle Tennessee for the 2012 NCAA Women's Golf Championships May 22-25, they will be faced with the daunting task of conquering the Vanderbilt Legends Club North Course. The 6,377-yard, par-72 layout will challenge golfers in all facets of their game from the tee to the green. Opened in 1992, the course offers numerous holes where golfers can go from a possible par to a double or triple bogey in the blink of an eye.
While every hole at Vanderbilt Legends Club will offer a different challenge to each golfer, there are always certain holes at any course that can either set the table for an excellent round or a disastrous one, and the North Course is no exception.
To discover where the potential stumbling blocks could be on the course, we headed out to the Legends Club to ask members of Vanderbilt's women's golf team what they would consider to be the three defining holes on the golf course.
The consensus?
Hole Nos. 2, 16 and 18 are the three holes on the course that can most impact a player's final score, either positively or negatively.
On the eve of the 2012 NCAA Women's Golf Championships, all 24 teams and the six individual participants took to the Vanderbilt Legends Club North Course for one final practice round on Monday.
Following Monday's nine-hole practice round, Vanderbilt senior golfer Marina Alex and Head Coach Greg Allen spoke with the media.
NCAA Championship information From parking to tickets, here's a look at some valuable information. » Sunday, May 20 | Andrew Boggs
Vanderbilt University and the Vanderbilt Legends Club's North Course will host the region's first NCAA Division I National Championship this Tuesday through Friday in Franklin, Tenn., and the following is a list of important information for those of you are planning to make the trip to take in the action. READ MORE
Videos: Sunday practice round Interviews, sights and sounds from the NCAA Championships. » Sunday, May 20 | Brandon Barca
The 2012 NCAA Women's Golf Championship is underway with the 24-team field participating in the opening practice round Sunday at Vanderbilt Legends Club in Franklin, Tenn.
Vanderbilt spent the morning on the back nine of the North Course. The Commodores were allotted two hours and 15 minutes by the NCAA to dissect each hole, including changes of yardage and pin placement to their home course.
Following Sunday's session, Larry Leathers of VUcommodores.com caught up with Lauren Stratton, an All-SEC first team selection and Williamson County native, and Head Coach Greg Allen, who's guided the Commodores to three straight NCAA Championship appearances. Also, watch a short reel of sights and sounds from hole 18.
Audio: Allen interview on 104.5 Vanderbilt coach discusses NCAA Women's Golf Championships. » Saturday, May 19 | Brandon Barca
Vanderbilt Head Coach Greg Allen was a guest on 104.5 The Wake Up Zone Friday morning to promote the 2012 NCAA Women's Golf Championship, which will be held at Vanderbilt Legends Club May 22-25 in Franklin, Tenn.
In the interview, Allen discussed the championship format, changes to the greens at Legends Club and how Vanderbilt was selected to host the event. Allen also gave an overview of his squad, and encouraged fans to support the Commodores during the 72-hole competition.
Here's the frightening news for 23 teams looking to topple reigning champ UCLA at next week's NCAA Division I Women's Golf Championships: the Bruins are coming to Tennessee with fond memories of the Vanderbilt Legends Club layout.
Close observers of women's collegiate golf see the No. 1 ranked Bruins as a solid favorite to become the first team to claim consecutive titles since Duke earned crowns in 2006-07.
"UCLA is the top team coming in and they've done it before," Golfweek.com assistant editor Julie Williams said. "I can definitely see three or four others with the talent to compete, but any team is going to have to play really, really well to beat UCLA."
What's In My Bag: Rene Sobolewski Sophomore golfer reveals the items she carries on the golf course. » Thursday, May 17 | Andrew Boggs
You never know what you're going to find in a golfer's bag.
Andrew Boggs was up to the task earlier this week, visiting with Vanderbilt sophomore Rene Sobolewski about its contents.
In addition to her clubs of choice, the native of Buffalo totes banana bread, a toothbrush and Canadian coins. She also talks about her favorite sticks (and maybe even a marriage proposal for her favorite hockey player).
Alex among NCAA title contenders Senior Commodore golfer makes fourth-straight NCAA Championship » Wednesday, May 16 | Larry Leathers
An array of contenders currently playing with confidence will converge on Vanderbilt Legends Club next week aiming to prevent the first repeat champion ever in NCAA Division I Women's Golf Championship.
The reigning champion, sophomore Austin Ernst of LSU, is among 126 entrants expected to tee off Tuesday, May 22 at the 6,377-yard Legends North Course. The first pairings from 24 teams and six other top individual qualifiers will start the 72-hole championship Tuesday morning at the Tom Kite-designed layout. The final round is scheduled Friday, May 25.
Numerous women currently playing at a championship level stand in the way of Ernst making NCAA golf history. According to Golfweek.com and Golfstat.com, nine of the nation's top 10 golfers are entered, including by No. 1 Lindy Duncan of Duke, No. 2 Emily Tubert of Arkansas and No. 3 Marina Alex of Vanderbilt. The field also includes recent NCAA regional medalists Lisa McCloskey of Southern California, Catherine O'Donnell of North Carolina and Katerina Ruzickova of Texas A&M.
In a demanding society that can often force the structure of your life to be somewhat mechanical as you head from home to work and back again the next day, you can often overlook the surroundings that we take for granted living in Middle Tennessee. With the rolling hills that are covered by a dense population of trees and the natural haze that hangs in the air at the top of each peak, giving the Smokies its name, the scenery of Middle Tennessee cannot be found anywhere else outside of the state and it can stop a newcomer in their tracks as they take it in for the first time.
When visitors pour into Middle Tennessee for the NCAA Women's Golf Championships May 22-25, they will get to enjoy the distinct topography in its full beauty as they traverse the grounds at Vanderbilt Legends Club.
Nestled in the rolling hills just south of downtown Nashville in Franklin, Tenn., the golf club accentuates its surroundings with its thoughtful design, plush fairways and well-manicured greens. The individual charged with making sure Vanderbilt Legends Club is looking its best is superintendent Joe Kennedy.
A majority of the nation's top women's collegiate golf teams will make the trip to the 2012 NCAA Women's Golf Championship May 22-25 in Franklin, Tenn., with the Vanderbilt Legends Club's North Course serving as the host course. The field was sorted out after competition at three regional sites over the weekend.
This year's field will feature eighteen of the top 25 teams in the country, with host Vanderbilt making the field as the number two team in the Central Regional.
Here's a general look at the field and some notes about this year's tournament.
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