For the next round (no pun intended) of my series of Highlander Spotlights, I interviewed junior Nathan Borrmann! Listen to what Nate had to say about golf, his brother, and his relationship status.

Q: Nate, it is well known that you are the elder of two Borrmann’.s, the younger being your brother Ryan.  Tell me about the relationship between you two, which one of you is bigger, and who is the better golfer?

The relationship between the two of us is great! Ever since Ryan and I we were young we have always been interested in many of the same things. Whether it be sports, music, even our jobs, we have stuck together. These interests led to spending time together in a common friend group which ultimately meant I spent lots of time with my brother which I reluctantly would have admitted when I was younger, but I am very thankful for this now! When it comes to golf Ryan is a bigger and better player. He easily outdrives me but I’m the one they call Big Nate… go figure. He has been playing competitively since 9th grade and was the MVP of his high school team as well as Cairn’s best player in the fall as a freshman. I’m very proud of what he has been able to accomplish on the golf course and am excited to see first hand as teammates what he can continue to do at the college level. As the older brother I wish I could beat him in golf but am also thankful that he’s been a big contributor to improvement in my own game. Additionally, it’s great to be teammates and spend lots of time at the golf course playing the game we love and at the end of the day he still knows I’m the older brother, so even if I can’t beat him in golf there are still other things to win at (laughs).

Q: You are a business administration major.  Who is your favorite professor in the business department and why?

We have many great professors which I have enjoyed having at Cairn so far, but my favorite is Mr. Gaspar. He has been my advisor my whole time here which is a big factor into why he is my favorite professor. In our meetings he is always very encouraging to me and has no shortage of wisdom to offer whether it is related to academia or elsewhere. When it comes to the classroom his class is one I look forward to being in because of his teaching style and the content that I learn. If I am ever able to fit one of his classes in my schedule I make sure that is a priority.

Q: This Spring you’ll be embarking on your Sophomore golf season, and your first being in the starting lineup.  What is your outlook on the upcoming season?

I am really looking forward to this upcoming season!  It’s crazy to think that a year ago I had never played in a college match and now I’m playing in the starting lineup. I remember last season I couldn’t even break 110 then in the fall after a summer of lots of golf I set a goal for myself to break 90 and was able to accomplish that by shooting 89 in the second day of the Revolutionary Collegiate Classic. I’m glad I was able to do that, and I hope to continue to adapt to playing in matches and set and meet goals. Another thing I’m excited for is the team we have this year. The great thing about having a small team is that these are the guys you spend much of your time with whether it be at practice, van rides, or matches and that surely grows a strong bond between us all. At the moment I’m just waiting for the weather to warm up so I’m able to start playing golf and listening to country music with my teammates again!

Q: What part of your golf game needs the most improvement? What part is your strongest?

I would say that my iron play needs the most work. I am not a great ball striker and do not hit the ball very far so hopefully this season I can make improvements on that. Another thing I struggle with is my on-course mentality. In golf your mental game plays a huge part in your success and building that up just comes with more golf. With this being the case it was great to see my putter become my best club in the bag. If you had asked me this question a year ago I probably would have said that my putter was one of the worst clubs in the bag! Thankfully in the beginning of the summer when I was struggling with the putter my friend DJ told me that the problem was all in my head, but I didn’t believe him… I tried to fix my mechanics but in the end what he said was true… putting is all about confidence. Once I was willing to admit this and after many practice putting sessions at Five Ponds Golf Course and many rounds of caddying I was confident in my putter and that made a huge difference for me not only on the scorecard but mentally as well!

Q: It is also known that you are an avid ultimate frisbee player, do you consider yourself the best frisbee player at Cairn University?

(laughs) I am for sure not the best frisbee player at Cairn but I do love playing the game! It is such a fun game and even if there isn’t a game to be played it’s always a great time to grab some friends and enjoy spending time outside together throwing the disc!

Q: Take a minute to discuss your assistant golf coach Ian Zang, and the impact he has had in your growth as a college golfer.

I am very thankful that Ian is our team’s coach! He is very knowledgeable about the game and helps our technique as well as the way we play the game. However, his impact for me personally goes beyond being able to swing a club. In the fall there was a time in a Taco Bell parking lot that I let my frustrations from the golf course come out with anger and disrespect towards not only him but my teammates as well. That night I was very disappointed in the way I had acted and when I went to apologize to him the next day he was very understanding and forgiving. He personally knows that it can be a frustrating game and instead of being upset with my clearly wrongful acts he offered encouragement for next time and forgiveness. This is why his impact goes beyond the course. Most coaches can help a swing, but good coaches like Ian are able to help grow their players and the way he coached in that situation said a whole lot to me!

Q: Are you single? If so, would you have any interest in getting together with any lovely Cairn females in the near future?

Yes I am (laughs) maybe we could go out for sushi or catch a Phillies game when the weather warms up, that’d be cool.

Q: Which PGA player do your model your golf game after to represent your length and accuracy off the tee?

There isn’t one specific player that I try to model my driving game after and if we are being specific it’s more like that of an older guy on the Champions Tour (laughs). However, one of my favorites is Jordan Spieth. First off, it’s awesome to watch him play the game in addition to him playing to honor God, giving credit to the hard work of Michael Greller (his caddie), and respecting his opponents. I would love to replicate my game after that! I also enjoy watching Justin Thomas, Rickie Fowler, and Bubba Watson.