Hello, Marylanders! My name is Sean Bledsoe, and I am a 2024 P.J. Boatwright Intern for the Maryland State Golf Association! I am originally from Franklin, Indiana, which sits just south of Indianapolis, but I attended Columbia City High School in Columbia City, Indiana, just outside Fort Wayne, Indiana. So yes, I am a Hoosier and a big Colts fan! I currently attend Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Indiana, and I will be going into my junior year this fall. I am pursuing a B.A. in Rhetoric with a double minor in Film and Digital Media as well as Theater. I enjoy the game of golf because of the challenges it presents you with every shot you hit. I really like puzzles, and that is how I think about a round of golf. Golf is special to me because it has given me so many opportunities in my life. I have made countless connections and friendships and learned plenty of life lessons along the way. The game also provided me with the opportunity to be a collegiate athlete, which was a massive goal for me growing up. I play on Wabash’s golf team, and I am very thankful to represent such a historic and renowned institution on the golf course.
Why were you interested in an internship with the MSGA?
I was interested in an internship with the MSGA because I wanted to find an opportunity to work in the sports media world. This internship just so happened to combine my passion for sports media and my love for the game of golf. This internship also allows me to work in an area of golf I have yet to work in. I have never been a rules official before, and seeing a round of golf from a different perspective is interesting.
What is your favorite golf course in the area?
Since I moved to Maryland for the summer, I have not had the chance to play many rounds yet. My favorite course that I have played is the TPC Sawgrass Stadium Course, where they hold The Players Championship. I always enjoy making the same walks that some of the greats in the game have made, and that walk up No. 16, No. 17, and No.18 was one of the best I have ever had in my life. It was also a bonus to make par on those three holes! As far as my favorite course back in Indiana, I have to say Sycamore Hills Golf Club in Fort Wayne, which was designed by Jack Nicklaus.
When did you start playing golf? Who got you into the game?
I first picked up a golf club when I was three years old, thanks to my father, but golf was not my favorite sport growing up. Basketball was a lot of my focus growing up, but my break from the hardwood was on links with my dad on weekends. When I stopped playing basketball after my fifth-grade year, I decided to start taking golf seriously. From there, my dad spent five days a week on a golf course together, and I can easily say that I would not be where I am today in the game of golf without him.
What do you like to do when you are not working?
When I am not working, you can usually find me at a golf course working on my craft. I love the grind of trying to get better, and my goal is to make it to the DIII National Championship Tournament before I graduate. But when I am not playing golf, I like to watch a variety of sports, TV Shows, and movies. I also enjoy hanging out and spending time with my Wabash brothers and friends back home.
