September 9, 2025 • 10 mins
UND Girls Golf Head Coach Kris Kroet Sch discussed the team’s third-place finish at the NDSU Invitational at Oxbow Country Club and looked ahead to the upcoming Yellowstone Intercollegiate in Bozeman, Montana. The segment also featured insights from guest player Emersyn Walker.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
And we welcome you back here to hok Doc Downtown
Grand Forks inside Hugo's Pure Market show number three of
this season we wanted to bring in now and is
what third season already, Chris Crouch has joined the program.
And of course Chris is an outstanding golfer in his
own right. He's been a PGA Teaching Professional of the
(00:22):
Year back when he's in the teaching days back and
now he's leading you and he women's golf after being
a men's golfer back in the late nineties in early
two thousands where he won two NCC championships with his team. Then,
So welcome to the program, Chris Crouch. Great to have
you along.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
That's great.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
Did I blow you up too much there? You got
to okay, that's good. I was gonna say, like I
I want to make sure I give you all the plaudits,
but I'm excited to see you here and you're about
ready to get really things under way. You had a
little tune up down at Oxbow to begin the season,
a little bit of a way to really see your
team kind of where they're at, come, you know, to
their summer seasons. Now heading out to Bozeman, Montana part
(01:04):
of the Bobcat Invite, or I should say the Yellowstone
Intercollegiate is the official title of it. And so are
you excited about turning the page now and you have
a better sense of kind of where everybody's at as
you now hit the fall season running.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
Yeah, absolutely, I think you know. NDSUS events nice warm
up for us, kind of give us an idea of
where we're at, see what we need to work on
before we head out to Montana. Here.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
So well, one of the people sitting to your right
is you're one of your seniors, Emerson Walker out of
the state of Washington. Believe it or not, I was
the one who picked up Emerson and her mom from
the airport for her recruiting visit here to the University
of North Dakota. So how about that, Emerson, I mean welcome, Like,
(01:48):
tell me a little bit about this is your senior year.
You only make me feel a little old right now.
So tell me a little bit about your journey here
at U and D both off the course and on
the course. What what has that been like?
Speaker 4 (02:01):
Yeah? No, I love the Grand Forks community. I know
when I came here when I was seventeen, eighteen years old,
that there was something really special about this place, and
there's a reason why I'm still here four years later.
I love the program here, I love my coach and
my teammates, and I've had such a great learning experience
and I feel like I've grown, not only as a golfer,
(02:23):
but as a person. Yeah, and I know that that's
what matters most to my coaches and my teammates, and
that's what helps me perform.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
I was gonna say, I was going to say that
it was you know, the state of Washington. Golf is golf.
You got to keep the ball in play, you got
to go chase it and get it in the hole
as soon as possible. But you know, it was probably
a different and eye opening experience to see maybe some
of the conditions, some of the gales or gusts of
wind that we have at times. And maybe that also
is good for your game a little bit too, to
(02:52):
have a bit more well rounded golf game because of it.
Speaker 4 (02:55):
Yeah, for sure, when I came here, I remember I
really struggled in the win because I have a pretty
high ball flight. You do right away. I learned how
to hit it little because That's the only way you
can survive out here. I'm used to the tree lined courses,
these tall evergreens where you can just hit a nice
high iron into the into the green and just watch
it spin. But here you got to get a little
(03:16):
bit more creative, and you you got to think about
what you're doing at all times and be present.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
So I was going to say that now you're kind
of the wily, crafty veteran. Do they does your teammates
now do they acknowledge you as the old lady on
the team? Then are you getting taken a lot of
heat that way?
Speaker 4 (03:32):
They have been calling me mom Oh no, no, I
still feel like I'm a freshman around here.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
But you'll take mom Okay, Well, Everson Walker is our
player guest here, and I guess, hey, I tell you
what it was bound to happen when you're when you're
the veteran player, you're going to take some heat from
those younger players.
Speaker 3 (03:50):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
A couple of other things here for you, Emerson, in
regards to what's unique about you is, I think when
you got here, it's so often that golfers are placed
with other golfers for roommates. You ended up with a
U indie women's tennis player. Is your first roommate, and
that's Ula Shulta. But she's from Germany, so that had
to be quite an experience. And I think you've been
(04:12):
roommates for still, our roommates from from the time. Yeah,
you've been roommates the whole time. Yeah, tell us about
having a roommate like that and what that's been like.
Speaker 4 (04:20):
No, it was a cool experience because Ula at the
time was also the only freshman on her team, so
we kind of got to go through that experience together.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
You know.
Speaker 4 (04:28):
Sure, the only freshman on team is sometimes you know,
it has its highs, but also it's lows. You're kind
of just that one person that's joining the squad. So, yeah,
you and I just really clicked. We both kind of
have a very bubbly, intense energy energy about us. I
think sometimes we talk to each other and we're like,
I don't know if golf and tennis fit our personality.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
You know, for a little bit too crazy.
Speaker 4 (04:53):
Sure, but no, I love Ula and she's an incredible
tennis player. I recommend watching her. She's she's a fierce
one out.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
Well, we've seen you out with hit with the Hawks,
with them. So that's pretty incredible that she's got you
out there swinging a few times every now and then.
So that's great Emerson Walker everybody. But we're going to
bring in Coach Croach again. Tell us a little bit
about this senior and kind of because as far as
Emerson is concerned, she hits the ball incredibly far. That's
a great starting point. The distance. As much as we say, well,
(05:22):
you got to hit it straight. Sometimes distance we've seen
in today's game, Coach Croach is such a great equalizer,
isn't it.
Speaker 3 (05:30):
Distance matters, Distance matters, and Emerson can hit it.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
She could hit it right.
Speaker 3 (05:35):
If I had to venture, I guess I would put
Emerson in probably the top two or three percent of
female Division one golfers as far as half how far
she hits it. Wow, it's it's really a treat to watch.
Speaker 1 (05:47):
Yeah, And you know, one of the things is it's
what I here's the thing. College golf is so interesting
because it's a team game and you kind of go
with your ebbs and flows with your golf game. People
don't realize that, you know, when you when people talk
about what's your handicap, your handicap has figured off your
best scores. People don't They think it's your average score.
(06:08):
It's actually your best scores. So people don't realize a
lot of times you're you know, you're going through a
lot of ebbs and flows on your practice days, sometimes
during your competitive rounds. And as a coach, I guess,
how have you learned to to work with these players
and try to shrink some of the tougher days and
try to kind of ease them through some of the
things that you know, you encountered and and some of
(06:28):
the things that they go through on a daily basis
with their golf games.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
Yeah, I mean it's golf is such a unique sport
because you exactly nailed it. We play it as a team,
but it's it's so individual as well, you know, So
really it comes down to me developing that relationship with them,
you know, and learning what makes each of them tick,
you know, because we all have our own idiosyncrasies as
(06:51):
far as what makes us work right.
Speaker 1 (06:53):
I mean, sometimes some players want an year to talk
to when things are going to ry or not quite
going in a straight line on a course. Some need
time to themselves basically, and you're playing that balancing game
with each and every person on your roster. Overall, your
roster fairly competitive. I think from just trying to make
the travel roster. That's gotta be kind of fun for you.
(07:15):
It's got to be tough, but it's got to be fun.
Speaker 3 (07:17):
You know what I'm really excited about this year. So
we got five new girls in the lineup this year,
you know, on a small team of ten. Yeah, so
I mean that's half your team. Yeah, right, but you know,
we got some girls right now who are not far
off of hitting it as far as Emerson. Oh wow,
(07:37):
that's Mawory Usselman. She's our transfer that came in. She
it's it a long ways.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
She's from little town in Verndale, Minnesota. Right, yeah, right,
that's uh. I mean that's usually turning on football players,
not golfers.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
That's great to see. That's good.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
Oh sorry there, Ember said you were going to add that.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
Okay, okay, Yeah, that was kind of a unique find. Yeah,
that's great.
Speaker 1 (07:58):
And then you know, like you say, you you know,
we've got Emerson GGI one was fifth at Oxbow and
that the NDSU invite. She's also from the state of
Washington and obviously she's really starting to find her game
and be comfortable with her game. But then you also
mix in just so many regional and area players. Is
it just really identifying that area first and then finding
(08:20):
the Emerson's and the Ggs of the world a little
bit as well. I mean, how do you comprise the
team in today's day and age.
Speaker 3 (08:25):
Yeah, I mean, you know, with with my relationships within
the region, the Minnesota section of the PGA and whatnot,
I mean I have a lot of resources, yeah, and
friends that I can call and say who's good.
Speaker 1 (08:37):
You know, and that's a nice thing to have.
Speaker 3 (08:40):
Yeah, yep, absolutely, you know. So, I mean it's the
recruiting process has been I'm not going to say easy, yeah,
but it's been. It's had its challenges, but it but
it's also been really really fun to get back in
touch with a lot of those guys that I know
who are coaches and teachers around the region and be
able to say, hey, you know, think in North Dakota
(09:02):
when you get someone who is showing some talent.
Speaker 1 (09:05):
No doubt, well you just think about you know, coach
Rob Styles will be going into the Hall of Fame
here in a couple of weeks time. So great to
see that just think how easy he had it when
he had to literally walk almost across the street to
go recruit you back in the day. Boy, that was
really hard on him.
Speaker 2 (09:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
So anyway, tell you what, it's great to see you both.
I want to get you both back on the program.
I know you're heading out to Bozeman, Montana here at
the end of the week as you've got that event
coming up, and I know that's going to be a
You know, you've got a number of a fall events
this season, and we really appreciate you swinging by because
I know you guys had your another practice probably today,
you guys probably had some people on the course, So
(09:42):
appreciate the time, good luck this year, and appreciate you
swinging by. Thanks for having us all all right, Chris
Croach head coach Women's Golf, everybody that's gonna do it
for our program tonight, Hawk Talk in the books. We
had to stretch a little bit, but it all worked
out great because we had all great conversations with all
our guests tonight. Thanks to Coach Smid, thanks to coach
sone to coach coach and player Emerson Walker for you
(10:04):
Indie women's golf as well. To our team back at
the studios at the flag Ship Studios downtown Grand Forks.
That's Jennifer and of course i'm Paul Ralston, bidding you farewell.
We'll see you later this week and we'll visit with
you all across the Fighting Hawks Radio Network with you
indie football, Jack Michaels, Mike Berg, and myself from Missoula, Montana.
Coverage getting underway one o'clock Saturday afternoon, and we'll talk
to you then until next week. We'll be back here
(10:26):
for another edition of Hawk Talk. Have a great week, everybody,
And we welcome you back here to hok Doc Downtown
Grand Forks inside Hugo's Pure Market show number three of
this season we wanted to bring in now and is
what third season already, Chris Crouch has joined the program.
And of course Chris is an outstanding golfer in his
own right. He's been a PGA Teaching Professional of the
(00:22):
Year back when he's in the teaching days back and
now he's leading you and he women's golf after being
a men's golfer back in the late nineties in early
two thousands where he won two NCC championships with his team. Then,
So welcome to the program, Chris Crouch. Great to have
you along.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
That's great.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
Did I blow you up too much there? You got
to okay, that's good. I was gonna say, like I
I want to make sure I give you all the plaudits,
but I'm excited to see you here and you're about
ready to get really things under way. You had a
little tune up down at Oxbow to begin the season,
a little bit of a way to really see your
team kind of where they're at, come, you know, to
their summer seasons. Now heading out to Bozeman, Montana part
(01:04):
of the Bobcat Invite, or I should say the Yellowstone
Intercollegiate is the official title of it. And so are
you excited about turning the page now and you have
a better sense of kind of where everybody's at as
you now hit the fall season running.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
Yeah, absolutely, I think you know. NDSUS events nice warm
up for us, kind of give us an idea of
where we're at, see what we need to work on
before we head out to Montana. Here.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
So well, one of the people sitting to your right
is you're one of your seniors, Emerson Walker out of
the state of Washington. Believe it or not, I was
the one who picked up Emerson and her mom from
the airport for her recruiting visit here to the University
of North Dakota. So how about that, Emerson, I mean welcome, Like,
(01:48):
tell me a little bit about this is your senior year.
You only make me feel a little old right now.
So tell me a little bit about your journey here
at U and D both off the course and on
the course. What what has that been like?
Speaker 4 (02:01):
Yeah? No, I love the Grand Forks community. I know
when I came here when I was seventeen, eighteen years old,
that there was something really special about this place, and
there's a reason why I'm still here four years later.
I love the program here, I love my coach and
my teammates, and I've had such a great learning experience
and I feel like I've grown, not only as a golfer,
(02:23):
but as a person. Yeah, and I know that that's
what matters most to my coaches and my teammates, and
that's what helps me perform.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
I was gonna say, I was going to say that
it was you know, the state of Washington. Golf is golf.
You got to keep the ball in play, you got
to go chase it and get it in the hole
as soon as possible. But you know, it was probably
a different and eye opening experience to see maybe some
of the conditions, some of the gales or gusts of
wind that we have at times. And maybe that also
is good for your game a little bit too, to
(02:52):
have a bit more well rounded golf game because of it.
Speaker 4 (02:55):
Yeah, for sure, when I came here, I remember I
really struggled in the win because I have a pretty
high ball flight. You do right away. I learned how
to hit it little because That's the only way you
can survive out here. I'm used to the tree lined courses,
these tall evergreens where you can just hit a nice
high iron into the into the green and just watch
it spin. But here you got to get a little
(03:16):
bit more creative, and you you got to think about
what you're doing at all times and be present.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
So I was going to say that now you're kind
of the wily, crafty veteran. Do they does your teammates
now do they acknowledge you as the old lady on
the team? Then are you getting taken a lot of
heat that way?
Speaker 4 (03:32):
They have been calling me mom Oh no, no, I
still feel like I'm a freshman around here.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
But you'll take mom Okay, Well, Everson Walker is our
player guest here, and I guess, hey, I tell you
what it was bound to happen when you're when you're
the veteran player, you're going to take some heat from
those younger players.
Speaker 3 (03:50):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
A couple of other things here for you, Emerson, in
regards to what's unique about you is, I think when
you got here, it's so often that golfers are placed
with other golfers for roommates. You ended up with a
U indie women's tennis player. Is your first roommate, and
that's Ula Shulta. But she's from Germany, so that had
to be quite an experience. And I think you've been
(04:12):
roommates for still, our roommates from from the time. Yeah,
you've been roommates the whole time. Yeah, tell us about
having a roommate like that and what that's been like.
Speaker 4 (04:20):
No, it was a cool experience because Ula at the
time was also the only freshman on her team, so
we kind of got to go through that experience together.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
You know.
Speaker 4 (04:28):
Sure, the only freshman on team is sometimes you know,
it has its highs, but also it's lows. You're kind
of just that one person that's joining the squad. So, yeah,
you and I just really clicked. We both kind of
have a very bubbly, intense energy energy about us. I
think sometimes we talk to each other and we're like,
I don't know if golf and tennis fit our personality.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
You know, for a little bit too crazy.
Speaker 4 (04:53):
Sure, but no, I love Ula and she's an incredible
tennis player. I recommend watching her. She's she's a fierce
one out.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
Well, we've seen you out with hit with the Hawks,
with them. So that's pretty incredible that she's got you
out there swinging a few times every now and then.
So that's great Emerson Walker everybody. But we're going to
bring in Coach Croach again. Tell us a little bit
about this senior and kind of because as far as
Emerson is concerned, she hits the ball incredibly far. That's
a great starting point. The distance. As much as we say, well,
(05:22):
you got to hit it straight. Sometimes distance we've seen
in today's game, Coach Croach is such a great equalizer,
isn't it.
Speaker 3 (05:30):
Distance matters, Distance matters, and Emerson can hit it.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
She could hit it right.
Speaker 3 (05:35):
If I had to venture, I guess I would put
Emerson in probably the top two or three percent of
female Division one golfers as far as half how far
she hits it. Wow, it's it's really a treat to watch.
Speaker 1 (05:47):
Yeah, And you know, one of the things is it's
what I here's the thing. College golf is so interesting
because it's a team game and you kind of go
with your ebbs and flows with your golf game. People
don't realize that, you know, when you when people talk
about what's your handicap, your handicap has figured off your
best scores. People don't They think it's your average score.
(06:08):
It's actually your best scores. So people don't realize a
lot of times you're you know, you're going through a
lot of ebbs and flows on your practice days, sometimes
during your competitive rounds. And as a coach, I guess,
how have you learned to to work with these players
and try to shrink some of the tougher days and
try to kind of ease them through some of the
things that you know, you encountered and and some of
(06:28):
the things that they go through on a daily basis
with their golf games.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
Yeah, I mean it's golf is such a unique sport
because you exactly nailed it. We play it as a team,
but it's it's so individual as well, you know, So
really it comes down to me developing that relationship with them,
you know, and learning what makes each of them tick,
you know, because we all have our own idiosyncrasies as
(06:51):
far as what makes us work right.
Speaker 1 (06:53):
I mean, sometimes some players want an year to talk
to when things are going to ry or not quite
going in a straight line on a course. Some need
time to themselves basically, and you're playing that balancing game
with each and every person on your roster. Overall, your
roster fairly competitive. I think from just trying to make
the travel roster. That's gotta be kind of fun for you.
(07:15):
It's got to be tough, but it's got to be fun.
Speaker 3 (07:17):
You know what I'm really excited about this year. So
we got five new girls in the lineup this year,
you know, on a small team of ten. Yeah, so
I mean that's half your team. Yeah, right, but you know,
we got some girls right now who are not far
off of hitting it as far as Emerson. Oh wow,
(07:37):
that's Mawory Usselman. She's our transfer that came in. She
it's it a long ways.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
She's from little town in Verndale, Minnesota. Right, yeah, right,
that's uh. I mean that's usually turning on football players,
not golfers.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
That's great to see. That's good.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
Oh sorry there, Ember said you were going to add that.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
Okay, okay, Yeah, that was kind of a unique find. Yeah,
that's great.
Speaker 1 (07:58):
And then you know, like you say, you you know,
we've got Emerson GGI one was fifth at Oxbow and
that the NDSU invite. She's also from the state of
Washington and obviously she's really starting to find her game
and be comfortable with her game. But then you also
mix in just so many regional and area players. Is
it just really identifying that area first and then finding
(08:20):
the Emerson's and the Ggs of the world a little
bit as well. I mean, how do you comprise the
team in today's day and age.
Speaker 3 (08:25):
Yeah, I mean, you know, with with my relationships within
the region, the Minnesota section of the PGA and whatnot,
I mean I have a lot of resources, yeah, and
friends that I can call and say who's good.
Speaker 1 (08:37):
You know, and that's a nice thing to have.
Speaker 3 (08:40):
Yeah, yep, absolutely, you know. So, I mean it's the
recruiting process has been I'm not going to say easy, yeah,
but it's been. It's had its challenges, but it but
it's also been really really fun to get back in
touch with a lot of those guys that I know
who are coaches and teachers around the region and be
able to say, hey, you know, think in North Dakota
(09:02):
when you get someone who is showing some talent.
Speaker 1 (09:05):
No doubt, well you just think about you know, coach
Rob Styles will be going into the Hall of Fame
here in a couple of weeks time. So great to
see that just think how easy he had it when
he had to literally walk almost across the street to
go recruit you back in the day. Boy, that was
really hard on him.
Speaker 2 (09:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
So anyway, tell you what, it's great to see you both.
I want to get you both back on the program.
I know you're heading out to Bozeman, Montana here at
the end of the week as you've got that event
coming up, and I know that's going to be a
You know, you've got a number of a fall events
this season, and we really appreciate you swinging by because
I know you guys had your another practice probably today,
you guys probably had some people on the course, So
(09:42):
appreciate the time, good luck this year, and appreciate you
swinging by. Thanks for having us all all right, Chris
Croach head coach Women's Golf, everybody that's gonna do it
for our program tonight, Hawk Talk in the books. We
had to stretch a little bit, but it all worked
out great because we had all great conversations with all
our guests tonight. Thanks to Coach Smid, thanks to coach
sone to coach coach and player Emerson Walker for you
(10:04):
Indie women's golf as well. To our team back at
the studios at the flag Ship Studios downtown Grand Forks.
That's Jennifer and of course i'm Paul Ralston, bidding you farewell.
We'll see you later this week and we'll visit with
you all across the Fighting Hawks Radio Network with you
indie football, Jack Michaels, Mike Berg, and myself from Missoula, Montana.
Coverage getting underway one o'clock Saturday afternoon, and we'll talk
to you then until next week. We'll be back here
(10:26):
for another edition of Hawk Talk. Have a great week, everybody,
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