Bellevue University Recruits 61-Year-Old Don Byers for Golf Team

For many PGA TOUR hopefuls, collegiate golf is just another step on their journey to join the professional golf ranks. For one golfer, however, he’s jumping into the game a little late.

Bellevue University is located in Nebraska and it’s probably not the first school you’d think of when talking about college golf powerhouses. The school did make a splash today, however, announcing that they will be adding a 61-year old recruit to the team this upcoming spring.

Don Byers has played golf for years in Nebraska and when playing with Bellevue golf coach Rob Brown, they joked about him joining the team, never expecting it to happen.

As they played at a former Web.com Tour course, Brown joked that he wished Byers still had eligibility left to play for him. Well, as Byers explained to him, he did still have eligibility after he left the University of Nebraska-Omaha 40 years ago. Back then, Brown thought it was only a joke.

After weeks of pestering from Brown, Byers finally caved and decided to join the Bellevue squad. And it also gives Brown a chance to go back and finish the college degree that he started so many years ago. “My academic adviser is younger than my kids,” joked Byers, who has three grown children and is a grandfather. “He said I ought to take recent history because I lived it.”

As for what he can bring to the course, Byers will be just as competitive as any young gun competing against him on the collegiate tour. He’s an incredibly consistent golfer according to his peers and is consistently at par or under-par on some of the most challenging courses in Nebraska. And according to his friend and new coach, he hits it a long way and he’s athletic. Those are two keys for success in any competitive golf space.

We’re still a couple weeks out from any serious college golf tournaments but there will be plenty of anticipation to see how Byers performs in competition. Hopefully, Byers will be able to succeed and be an influence for all golfers around the country.

Cover Image via PGA.com