My name is Bob Ryan and I’m from Tipton, Iowa. I graduated from Tipton High School in 2022 and spent one year at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln before transferring here. This is my second year on the golf team at the University of Dubuque and making this move from a major division one school, Nebraska- Lincoln, to a smaller division three university to pursue my dream was a scary decision for me.
Golf has always been a big aspect of my life, since the very beginning when my father and grandfather taught me how to play. We would play together every Wednesday, until my grandfather was diagnosed with throat cancer. This news really rocked my world, making me sad, and I found myself always focused on him, considering we were very close, and I didn’t see him all that often. I turned to golf to help cope with my sadness because it is something I truly enjoyed. Golf always brought me so much joy, everything about it, and it took my mind off my grandfather’s sickness. He decided to go through all the chemotherapy and is now cancer free. During the time of his chemotherapy, I golfed my life away, and I loved it. Golf has gotten me through some tough times, but nothing compares to having a loved one sick. Not only did resorting to golf get me through this tough time, but it also helped him beat cancer.