Benjamin Blocklinger & Isabella Boyle Named Charlie Burkart Scholarship Recipients-
The Iowa PGA has selected Benjamin Blocklinger Cedar Rapids, Iowa and Isabella Boyle of Sioux City, Iowa as the 2023 Charlie Burkart Scholarship honorees by the Iowa PGA Foundation Charlie Burkart Scholarship committee.
Benjamin Blocklinger:
Blocklinger’s educational goals are to receive a Bachelor of Science degree (Golf/Business Management), with a PGA certification. He aspires to be a PGA teaching professional and/or a golf club manager. His objectives are to continue to improve his personal game, become a better communicator, develop personal/professional relationships and evolve into a stronger leader/mentor.
Ben will be attending the University of Nebraska-Lincoln majoring in PGA Golf Management with minors in Hospitality & Business.
Ben on what this award means to him, “Receiving this scholarship will help me be able to concentrate on my studies and not stress about how my education will be paid for. This scholarship will help me to achieve my career objectives without the stress and hardship it will put on me and my family. After college I would like to be the head golf pro and all the duties that come with this great profession.”
Growing up, he had very low self-esteem and felt lost. He has multiple learning disabilities, which made him feel different and separate from other kids. His Dad has always been an avid golfer, and he started playing the sport as soon as he could hold a club. Golf quickly became his number one love. Finding success in golf empowered him and helped to instill confidence in himself. He has learned to work hard, persevere, and grind from playing golf.
That determination has helped him become a better person, student, golfer, and a strong leader as captain of his golf team. For the last 7 years he has volunteered with the Special Olympics in golf. He knows how important it is when you have a disability to find something that you have success in and that can then boost your self-esteem. Working with these athletes has brought him much joy. They inspire others to try golf or continue to play golf. They demonstrate that the love of the game isn’t dependent on what level you’re at or how you score. Golf is a sport for any person at any age.
In August 2020, his community experienced a historic Derecho (Inland Hurricane) that devastated the entire city. For weeks he helped friends, neighbors & his school’s home golf course clear debris. He felt empowered by joining forces with others and helped to regain some sense of normalcy in their community.
Dennis Goettel, Washington High School Head Women’s & Men’s Golf Coach, “He was a quiet, effective leader who was admired by peers and coaches. His opponents had the highest respect for him because of his talent and attitude. In my 48 years of teaching, coaching and athletic administration, Ben ranks at the top of the young people I have known. I cannot say enough to explain my respect and admiration that I have for him.”
Daniel Mulligan had some nice words to say, “Ben will be a huge asset to whichever college campus is lucky enough to land him and he will give back to whatever community that is through his citizenship and loyalty. Ben is one of my favorite young people I’ve coached against/competed against in my 20+ years in coaching, and I look forward to following his bright future. He’s a class act.”
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Isabella Boyle:
This fall 2023, she will be attending the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and her intended area of study is PGA Golf Management. She wants to bring gender inclusivity to a prominently male-dominated industry. She wants to be the person that she did not have when learning the game of golf, she wants the future generation of female golfers to have a mentor that will get them excited about playing and being involved in the game because we need to see more representation of female golfers. She has been a mentor for fellow teammates, classmates, and incoming golfers, whether that be through helping in the classroom or on the golf course. She hopes to bring the mindset of the game of golf with her through everything that she does, and she will continue to improve on everything that she does and each opportunity that she has been given, never taking anything for granted. Boyle hopes to bridge the gap between gender in the game of golf and inspire the future generation of golfers.
Isabella on what this award means to her, “I am honored to be a recipient of the Charlie Burkart Scholarship. This award will help me to pursue my academic career and allow myself to have time to also focus on golf. I am excited to see where the PGM Golf Management program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln will take me for the next four years. Golf has always been a constant in my life, and I look forward to continuing my passion for the game. It is a great achievement to receive this scholarship, and I am very grateful.”
Boyle started playing golf in 2013 at the age of eight and played competitively since she was twelve. She recalls having her first big opportunity to sharpen her skills in the game in 2015 by receiving a flyer for a chance to join the First Tee of Siouxland. She eagerly joined this program and was granted various playing opportunities, with her favorite chance being the Irwin Cup which is hosted every year at the Jewel Golf Club in Lake City, Minnesota. On August 5th, 2019, she scored seventeen and a half points out of eighteen for the holes two-person scramble format tournament; Boyle and her partner were the best scoring group. Through being a part of the First Tee of Siouxland she progressed quickly, being advanced and making it from the Player level to the Ace requirements, this was a big feat because it takes years of demanding work in golf and commitment to earn the Ace level.
Jamie Zyzda had some nice words to say, “Isabella demonstrates her ability to be an effective communicator daily in my classroom and has proven to be extremely dependable. During each lesson presentation, she is an active listener. She focuses completely on what is being discussed and will ask questions that directly relate to the subject matter. She provides me with feedback that allows me to judge the effectiveness of my explanations. I truly appreciate having a student like her in my class.”
“Isabella is a highly dedicated and driven young woman. I would strongly recommend her to be the recipient for this designated scholarship opportunity. The skills and leadership she will provide during the next chapter of her life in higher education and collegiate sports will be an asset that drives the success of the academic institution that she is attending. Isabella will also be an asset to the development of others with academics as well as athletic performance. She will positively influence others around her and will enhance the overall experience of everyone that she is given the opportunity to interact with,” Julian Lee had some nice words to say about Isabella.
The Iowa PGA Congratulates Benjamin Blocklinger and Isabella Boyle as our 2023 Charlie Burkart Scholarship Award Winners.
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