Any club member on campus will admit that the early stages of the organization are for learning and testing the waters. Sophomores Kathleen Biaigi and Griffin DeClerck, the president and vice president of the newly formed Golf club, are still learning as the days pass.

Lesson learned: Last Wednesday night in Miller Hall the club’s first meeting discussed switching meeting times from 9 p.m. to common hour, so students will be more available to attend.

“Last year, I sent an email through OrgSync to gage interest for the club and over 20 people responded back,” Biagi said. “So there is definitely an interest out there, but we know now that it may be a good idea to change the club’s meeting time.”

Although Giagi is still grasping the ins and outs of operating a club, she does not need to grasp anymore knowledge on golf.

She has been an avid golfer since she was eight. Her accolades includes making the varsity team all four years of high school, being named captain her last two seasons and competing in sectionals for three years.

DeClerck, on the other hand, was a basketball and football player most of high school until injuries. He picked up golf his senior year and has not turned his back since.

Their passion for golf led the two to form a club dedicated to the sport they hold dear to their hearts.

“I have met so many people from the sport that I know today, so this club creates a great opportunity for others,” Biagi said. “Personally, I do not know what I would’ve done without it.”

Despite the early mistakes that are bound to happen in a newly formed club, Biagi sees the club going far for the rest of her time at Pace. Future plans include going to private and public courses to play rounds, hosting numerous events–including an end of the year barbecue–and eventually competing against other clubs from nearby universities.

“The club’s ultimate goal is to help people who want to play golf get a chance to actually play it, teach beginners how to play golf, bring everyone with different skill levels and let people know they’re all welcomed to join,” Biagi said.

DeClerck says the club’s unique qualities is what will bring more people to the club next year.

“Golf is a social sport, so it’s a great opportunity to develop new bonds with people you just met or strengthen bonds with people you already know,” DeClerk said. “One of the nice things about a golf club is the fact we need to go off campus to participate in the outings, so it is a different experience because students may not go off campus for a long period of time.”

Biagi says a major reason she created the club was to help students in the Lubin School of Business.

“So much of business is done out on the course,” Biagi, an accounting major, said. “There are different outings sponsored but different firms, so if you can out and have the ability to play and know what is going on, then it is very beneficial. You do not want to miss the opportunity in business to seal a deal or something because you can not play golf.”

Golf is a game meant for negotiating and networking, so it should come as no surprise that the club hopes to begin networking with other clubs next year, once its budget is finalized.

DeClerk specifically aims to network with other sports-oriented clubs.

“We can try to come together with the fishing club and men’s soccer club, and sort of establish a sports club with its own separate branches,” he said.

DeClerk and Biagi envisioned forming this club since their freshman year, so they are estactic to see it soon come to fruition.

The club focuses on more than just a chance play golf; it hopes to give students an opportunity to interact with one another.

“I’d rather look back and view this experience as a great time I had with my friends, rather than just playing 800 holes of golf,” DeClerk said.

Although there is no event scheduled, Biagi says she hopes to host a small-scale event before the semester ends to promote the club.