Senior varsity golfer Jake Littlejohn committed to the University of La Verne to play golf after traveling to visit the campus during spring break. Littlejohn got to meet the coaches and the team’s players and was also able to see the kinds of courses the team plays on. The coach then offered him a spot and he accepted.

“They’re a really good team,” Littlejohn said. “They’re one of the top Division III golf teams in the United States, and I felt like that was the place for me.”

Although the school is not in a top division, Littlejohn knows he will play in many Division I tournaments and get plenty of high-level experience as a Leopard, the school’s mascot.

“My golf game will be best by going to that school rather than going to a Division II school just because I’ll get more experience and I’ll have better people teaching me how to play the game right,” Littlejohn said.

He also connected well with the boys who are currently on the team and felt that they were good golfers and hard workers but also knew how to have a good time.

Littlejohn recognizes that the chances of going pro are very small but still dreams big, saying that his ultimate goal is to play on the PGA tour. He is optimistic about the future and feels La Verne will do him well.

“The good thing with golf is that it’s such a gentleman’s game where you learn a lot of life skills that help you out in the future,” Littlejohn said. “So regardless if golf doesn’t work out, I’ll have the skills to become successful at another job.”

Littlejohn is grateful for all of the people who have helped him on his golf journey so far. One of those people is his swing coach, Derek Zachman, who golfed for La Verne in college and advised him to check out the school. He attributes much of his success and growth to Zachman as well.

On the heels of his commitment and with his future in mind, Littlejohn shot his high school career low round with a 35, one under par at Mather Golf Course, to lead the Tigers to a 210-231 victory over Bella Vista yesterday.