It's time to dispel some myths about golf, according to junior

Christian Bartolacci, a member of Temple's golf team.

First, despite the bucolic setting of most golf courses, the sport

is not for the faint of heart or mind.

"Golf is an interesting sport because it's not like playing

somebody else, you are playing against yourself," said

Bartolacci, who has placed in the top 10 twice this fall in

tournaments, including a second-place finish at the Navy

Invitational in September.

"But, it's also a physical sport," he added, noting that members

of the team follow a strength-training regimen."Our program

isn't designed to get you huge, but to increase your endurance.

If you get spaghetti legs at the 18th hole, it's not good for your

game.

"A lot of times we play 36 holes in one day. People don't

know how draining that is both physically and mentally. At the

end of a day like that, your brain is just fried," he added.

Golf is also one of the few sports that runs through both the fall

and spring semesters, posing scheduling challenges for the

student-athletes.

"Fitting our classes in can be tough because we often have to

leave for tournaments early and have to miss many Thursdays

and Fridays," Bartolacci said, noting that the team will compete

in spring tournaments in South Carolina, Florida and Virginia.

"We just do our best to keep up with our studies."

Although the finance major is accustomed to taxing his brain,

Bartolacci can't figure out why golf is not more recognized on

the college level. The Eastern region is a hotbed for golf and

the popularity of young players like Tiger Woods should bring

more attention to the sport.

"Golf is one of the most popular sports in the world. Yet, on

the college level it's just odd that it hasn't taken off," said

Bartolacci.

That may change, however, with a little help from Temple. The

University will host the NCAA East Regional Golf Tournament

in May at Glenmaura National Golf Club in Moosic, Pa.

Sand traps are just one of thehazards--both physical and mental--that golfers like Christian Bartolacci

face.

The East Regional--the largest of three qualifying tournaments to the NCAA Championship--will include

120 participants vying for 57 positions in the finals. Temple is currently in second place in its district, with the

final fall tournament set for this weekend at the Caves Valley Golf Course in Awings Mills, Md.

Part of the reason golf may not gain that much attention in this region is that people still relate the sport to

older players, Bartolacci said.

But, it's not your father's game any more, literally. Bartolacci beat his father--who played on the pro circuit

and at Ohio State University--for the first time this summer at the first Jericho National Golf Club

Tournament in Washington's Crossing.

"That was my favorite golfing memory, not because I beat my father, but the fact that I beat the person who

taught me," said Bartolacci.

With his string of recent successes, it's inevitable that his thoughts drift to turning professional, but Bartolacci

is quick to note that it may be too soon for that thought.

"Golf is not like football or basketball where if you miss your window of opportunity as a junior or senior,

you're basically done in the sport," he noted."Golf is a game that you can mature at, at any time and any

age.

"You never know when that will happen, so you don't have to get frustrated that it's your last year in school.

I could turn pro now, but it would be silly," he added.

A firm grasp of reality is one of the traits Bartolacci has learned while playing golf, but not the only one.

"I learned a lot of manners and a lot of integrity through golf," Bartolacci said."For example, if your ball is in

the trees and you move it, nobody would know . . . but you. Golf has taught me several valuable lessons in

life." Fred Maher