Though a pro golf career remains a dream for Preston Howe, the Forsyth Country Day School junior made academics the priority when deciding to play college golf in the Ivy League.
In March, Howe committed to Yale University, one of the nation’s most prestigious academic institutions, known more for producing U.S. presidents than PGA Tour players.
Why Yale? Howe doesn’t have friends or family near New Haven, Connecticut, nor any family ties to the Ivy League School.
“Academics kind of drew me there,” said Howe, the top-ranked player in the N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association Division II rankings. “I had some other schools with bigger golf programs interested in me. I decided I’d rather have my future set up with a Yale degree.”
By choosing Yale, Howe will have to battle cold weather practicing in Connecticut much of the fall and spring seasons. But the Yale Golf Course, currently undergoing some renovations, is not only one of the most historic college courses, but is widely considered one of the best.
Designed in 1926 by Charles Blair Mcdonald and Seth Rayner, the course was ranked No. 83 in the world by Golf Magazine and rated the nation’s best college course by Golfweek.
“By the time I get there, it should be finished,” the 17-year-old Howe said. “It’s going to be nice.”
Plus, Yale travels to warmer climates for most of their tournaments. This past season, the Bulldogs played in tournaments in Mexico, Houston and San Diego during the late fall and winter.
“I get to go on a lot of cool trips there,” he said.
An outstanding student whose favorite subject is math, Howe said he also considered Stanford and Wake Forest, where friend and former FCS teammate Kyle Haas joined father Jerry Haas’ team this year. The Howe family are members at Old Town Club, Wake’s home course.
“Computer science and engineering have always been interesting to me,” said Howe, who joked that his experience this year in calculus may lead to a change of heart.
Stanford, an elite institution where the likes of Tiger Woods and Tom Watson have played, was Howe’s top choice. But the Palo Alto, California, school didn’t offer him a golf scholarship. As an Ivy League school, Yale doesn’t offer athletic scholarships, but offers significant financial assistance to most students.
“I really wanted to go to Stanford,” Howe admitted. “Stanford would have been the best combo.”
Knowing how competitive Ivy League admission is, Howe said he initially contacted Yale, coached by Keith Tyburski, a former Western Carolina University golfer. Tyburski offered Howe a spot in December.
Howe already has one friend of the Yale roster. Blake Brantley, a former standout at R.J. Reynolds High, will be a senior next year.
Howe works with instructor Chase Duncan, whose client Ashkay Bhatia won the PGA Tour event prior to the Masters, at N.C. State’s Lonnie Poole Golf Course every 4-6 weeks.
Howe, who has three top 10 finishes in nine American Junior Golf Association events in the past 12 months, tied for eighth in March at the Will Lowery Junior Championship, his only AJGA start so far in 2024, at Carolina Trace in Sanford.
Duncan said Howe’s retention of his lessons quickly caught his attention, noting at age 12 Howe’s written summaries of lessons requested by Duncan, were amazingly comprehensive and thorough.
Howe had an exciting week in early March, shooting 4-under-par 32 for FCDS in a 9-hole match at Greensboro National Golf Club, then winning the North State Boys’ Challenge the next day with a bogey-free (his first in competition), 4-under 67 at Country Club of Salisbury, after announcing his commitment to attend Yale.
Duncan said the public commitment to Yale may rid him of some self-inflicted pressure, helping him complete the bogey-free round, a failure that had caused frustration.
“I think that’s (the bogey-free round) a testament to putting the decision behind him,” Duncan said. “I told him the decision (to play lower-profile college golf) might ‘free you up to play better golf.'”
As the high school season winds down, FCDS was No. 2 in the Division II team rankings, behind Cape Fear. Greensboro Country Day School, which beat FCDS by one stroke to win a state title last year, is ranked No. 3.
Though Howe carries only 145 pounds on a thin 6-foot frame, he still manages to carry the ball 290 off the tee, and uses his 3-wood as one of his top weapons.
While Yale should ensure a successful financial future with various options, Howe said he hasn’t ruled out trying to play professional golf.
“It’s still on the table,” he said. “I’m going to pursue it as long as I can.”
Duncan said Howe has no major weaknesses in his game with potential to play at a high professional level.
“I think he just needs to keep building confidence and prove it to himself,” Duncan said
