Spring is slowly coming upon us, which means golf is following its coattails. The first match up for the men’s golf team starts in February and Chris Handy, a junior here at Oakland University, is ready to swing away.

“I’m just excited to get back out there,” Handy said. “It’s been a cold winter in Michigan so we’ve had to practice indoors and what not. So it’ll be nice to be on the golf course again and actually hit off grass.”

Handy, originally from the United Kingdom, has always dreamed of playing golf at the collegiate level. Since he was young, he’s had a passion for the game and many of the people that inspire that passion of his play professional golf.

“It’s always been a dream of mine,” Handy said. “Being from the UK, a lot of the guys I look up to came over to the U.S. to play and pursued a career in it, going pro and what not. I think for golf, especially if you go to college, is a great step to take to go professional afterwards.”

It may be hard to fathom someone moving to a different country to go to school and play a sport, but for Chris Handy the decision was not difficult. Choosing to attend Oakland University was even easier.

“It was mainly all the facilities around that brought me here,” Handy said. “We have two great courses here on campus so that was a big thing for me as well. Top schools that recruited me said I had to drive to the courses 10, sometimes 15 minutes away from campus. Also our coach is just great. He’s one of the best guys I know in all honesty.”

Multitasking and being in different student organizations, groups, teams or clubs in college while taking classes is not for the faint of heart. Playing and being a part of your alma mater’s team adds a few more challenges to the mix as well. Handy feels time management is very important in maintaining grades as well as being a beast on the course and over time, he’s grown accustomed to that way of life.

“Yeah it comes with its challenges,” Handy said. “You have to time manage a ton. Especially in golf where tournaments are held in 12-hour stretches if you play 36 holes, you have to do your schoolwork beforehand or on the bus. It’s a juggling act, but I feel like I have a lot of experience with that now and I’m way more comfortable than I was at the start of the year.”

The men’s golf team and Handy will be back on fresh ground starting Monday, Feb. 18 at the Weston Hills Country Club in Weston, Fla.