A free college education is a wonderful thing. Especially if you get one in exchange for spending your time on golf courses in beautiful Wyoming. Such is the life of Zach Zaremba, the former Pueblo West golfer who earned a full-ride scholarship with the Cowboys last year and just finished his freshman year.
The 2006 Class 4A state champion lost a tough match-play round Wednesday in the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship at Murphy Creek G.C., but took some time out to chat with The Denver Post’s Adrian Dater about what life is like for a college golfer.
Q: What’s it like to go to a big-time college and know you’ll never see a tuition bill, and play golf in the process?
A: Well, it’s awesome. It’s a great thing to be able to help your parents out like that. And they made it all possible. So, it’s a win-win for everybody. I’m just lucky, but worked hard for it.
Q: Wyoming is a football-crazy school. Do you feel overshadowed being on the golf team?
A: No, not at all. We have a great booster club and a lot of people follow it. Yeah, the football program is a little bigger deal, but they treat us great there. It’s a lot better than most people think.
Q: You lost your match today. How difficult are you to be around if you lose?
A: I’m a little sour about it right afterward, but I try to shake it off as fast as I can. Golf is so mental, and you can’t get too high or low over one round.
Q: What’s on your iPod right now?
A: I’ve got some 3oh!3 on there right now. And some Seether and some Staind.
Q: What’s the most annoying thing to you?
A: A person that doesn’t want to succeed.
Q: Who is the person you most admire in life?
A: Probably my dad (Mike). My mom, too. My dad was a club pro at Desert Hawk in Pueblo.
Q: Did he push you into the sport, or did you just take it up naturally?
A: He might have pushed me a little bit, but I thank him for that. I was just around it so much that it was pretty natural for me to start playing.
Q: If golf doesn’t work out as a pro career, what then?
A: I’m studying business, so that’s what I’d want to get into. But I’d like to try for the pro circuit, and if that doesn’t work out, I’d like to be a club pro.
Q: Golf has a stereotype as a rich kid’s sport. What do you say to that?
A: You know, it is expensive, there’s no doubt. What you have to do to play in the big events is expensive. But no one knows how mentally challenging the game is, compared to everything. You still have to be a real good athlete. Money doesn’t make you great at it.
Adrian Dater: 303-954-1360 or adater@denverpost.com
Wyo. freshman’s best of the best
Five favorite golfers of Zach Zaremba:
1. Tiger Woods
2. Ernie Els
3. Stuart Appleby
4. Mike Weir
5. K.J. Choi
