“I like the people here and we have a great team of guys,” McClear said.
He also competed in junior golf with fellow Hawkeye Garrett Tighe of Algonquin, Illinois, supplying what McClear calls “another piece of home.” McClear was fond of the University of Iowa campus and facilities and being 200 miles from home seemed like a perfect distance.
Mac would take advantage of having the course to himself and just go out and play.” “I knew Mac loved the game of golf because during the recruiting process when we would have conversations, there would be days where it was barely above freezing and if he wasn’t in school, he would play 36 holes of golf where most people are hiding and aren’t getting their clubs out. “One of the things we try our best to evaluate is how much kids love the game and how hard we think they will work,” Stith said. He finished fifth at state as a junior and senior and McClear’s work ethic and results stood out to Iowa head coach Tyler Stith. That type of dedication was rewarded when McClear and his Hinsdale Central teammates won the Illinois High School state championship three times. We were so desperate to play we decided to go out there one day.” That is probably the worst condition I played in. If you needed a 100-yard shot, you only had to hit it 60 yards and it would bounce up to the green. “It was probably 28 degrees, the ground was frozen, the greens were frozen.
He then recalled the most adverse of circumstances. “We all pushed each other throughout our high school days,” said McClear, a native of Hinsdale, Illinois. Off to the course they would go, regardless of what Mother Nature threw at them. Thanks to a dedicated group of high school teammates, it was common to see McClear on a course in early spring or late fall when temperatures were less than ideal.Įven when Midwest weather conditions made playing golf difficult, it didn’t take long for cabin fever to get the best of McClear and his golf buddies. He comes from a family of golfers and even has a photo of himself hitting balls on a driving range when he was 2 or 3 years old. Meet University of Iowa sophomore Mac McClear, a golf rat. IOWA CITY, Iowa - The term “gym rat” describes a person who spends a myriad of hours shooting hoops and perfecting their basketball skills. ISAAC - Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.