Against the vivid blues of a sunny day and the bright greens of the rolling golf course, Colorado Christian University’s Men’s Golf Team posed for pictures with their school’s first ever national championship trophy. Having just clinched the NCAA Division II Championship and their conference’s first ever title—the players reflected on what this historic win meant in light of their Christian faith.
Earlier in the semester the golf team studied through the book of Ecclesiastes, which encouraged the players that no matter if they won or lost on the course their identity was firmly rooted in Christ.
“No matter how we play we know that we’re loved by Christ,” said Dylan Arthur, the first-finishing senior. “None of this will fulfill us. The wins feel incredible, but at the end of the day, like Ecclesiastes says, it’s all vanity and doesn’t really matter.”
"We all love golf, but that’s not the end for us,” said Xavier Bighause, a CCU junior on the team. “We know that it doesn’t mean much if we can’t glorify the Lord doing it.”
Bighause literally carried scripture with him throughout the Cougars’ winning season. He attached Joshua 1:9, which reads, “Do not be afraid. Do not be discouraged for the Lord your God will be with you,” to his golf bag. He said this verse allowed him “to go out and play freely, knowing that the result is not who I am as a person.”
Arthur also found strength in his faith especially during a critical moment in a tournament in New Mexico where he secured his first win of the season.
"I would pray, ‘God calm my nerves, allow me to know I am doing this for your glory and not my own,’” said Arthur.
While the team celebrated their win on the course, their winning perspective on their true success as Christian men is a testament to their faith, the CCU community and their unwavering commitment to glorifying God through the sport they loved.
