Jimmy Hinton

The College of Wooster men's golf team played at several prestigious courses during its annual spring break trip, and capped the near-two-week Southern swing with Wednesday's non-scoring match against Sandhills Community College at the Pinewild Country Club's Magnolia Course, a qualifying site for US Open Championships and US Amateur Championships.

Wooster opened its trip at the Atlantic Beach Golf Club where Jack Nicklaus recorded his first double-eagle in tournament competition on No. 18 during the 1966 Jacksonville Open. Then, Wooster teed off at the Rees Jones-designed RedStick Golf Club, a unique club with only 275 members. During the practice round at RedStick, first-year Jimmy Hinton aced the par-3, 175-yard 17th hole.

Last week Tuesday, Wooster played at The Dye Preserve where several notable PGA and LPGA Tour professionals hold memberships, including Rory McIlroy. In fact, several of the Scots met Daniel Berger, the 2015 PGA Rookie of the Year, on the practice green.

Also in Florida, the Scots hit the links at the Ponte Vedra Inn & Club – the course selected to host the 1939 Ryder Cup Match, prior to the early onset of World War II leading to the cancelation of the event. Wooster capped its stay in Florida at the Deerwood Club, site of the Greater Jacksonville Open from 1967-69 and 1972-75, the same tournament that eventually became THE PLAYERS Championship.

Next, Wooster shifted to North Carolina and played the prestigious Pinehurst Resort & Country Club No. 9, the only Jack Nicklaus-designed course in the Sandhills region before hitting the links at the Country Club of North Carolina.

Finally, Wooster closed out its trip with Wednesday's round with Sandhills, the 2014 National Junior College Athletic Association Div. III national champion.

Wooster returns to action at Ohio Northern University's Polar Bear Classic on Saturday, April 1.