Nothing Fishy About Nick Fisher's Growth For Goucher Men's Golf Team In His Sophomore Season

By: Lizzie Casa (Athletic Communications Student Assistant)

Nick Fisher, a key player for Goucher College's men's golf team, is a sophomore from Fishers, Indiana, a town his family claims to own yet has no real connection to the town except for when they moved there when Fisher was young. He is a business major aspiring to pursue a career in either sales or real estate. Fisher has been golfing for the majority of his life but committed to the sport in his sophomore year of high school. He was inspired by his cousin who played golf for University of Memphis. 

Though his cousin inspired him to commit to the sport, his father, Todd Fisher, has proven to be an essential role model and influence for Fisher. Throughout Fisher's life, Todd Fisher has set an example for his children about hard work and ethic. Outside of his family, Fisher's role model is Dustin Johnson, whose aggressive strategy he works hard to emulate on the course. 

During practices throughout the 2019 spring season, Goucher College Men's Golf Head Coach Hunter Brown had the team focus on their chipping and putting. Chipping is part of a golfer's "short game" where a shot is taken near the putting green to get the ball onto the green. Putting is another part of the short game when a player tries to sink the ball into the hole. Fisher, a sophomore on the team, attributes his success this season to his focus on his short game during practices. 

Fisher expected the team to be competitive at the Landmark Conference Championship, but did not want to be overly confident. He said that since the teams that they were to play had previously beat Goucher they needed to remain humble and work hard before the tournament.

"I had a feeling we would [win the Landmark Championship], but it's hard not to get ahead of ourselves because we know that we can beat our competition," Fisher said. "It's hard to step back and acknowledge they can beat us, like they did last week when we played badly."

As a freshman at the NCAA Division III Men's Golf Championships, it was an opportunity for him to see all the best golfers in Division III. After a less than satisfactory performance at on the national stage, the team headed back to Goucher with their minds set on the upcoming season. With the chance to evaluate his own performance, Fisher understood where he needed to be in order to succeed in collegiate golf. 

His disappointing showing at the 2019 NCAA Division III Championship proved to be a turning point for Fisher. After that, he doubled down on his training and headed off to Dallas this past summer to work with his swing coach. The effort and focus paid off last month when he led the team to finish in the top three, scoring a career low of 73. Fisher shared that in the past his biggest challenge during tournaments was overthinking. When he shot his 73, he said he was able to play with a clear head. Julian Gonzalez, Fisher's teammate and former roommate, taught him a pre-ritual that helped him to clear his mind. 

Gonzalez taught Fisher a technique to help clear his mind: the night before a tournament he should close his eyes and imagine the course that he will play the following day. He tries to familiarize himself with the course as much as possible. Fisher says that this technique has helped him to focus on the game and calm his anxieties during competition. 

Fisher will use his new techniques and everything he learned in the summer and fall to propel himself and the team into the spring 2020 season. If all goes well, Fisher and the team will find success at Landmark Conference Championship and NCAA Division III Championships.