Head coach Rich Parker said this year's trip was more successful than usual since the Big Green had large amounts of practice time at the range, which was not the case in previous years.
"We had unlimited range time at the PGA National," he said. "It was the most productive trip we've had in my six years here."
The PGA National Golf Club, located at the PGA National Resort & Spa, which served as the Dartmouth team hotel, offered the Big Green the chance to practice on a national-class course for the duration of the trip. The PGA National hosted the Ryder Cup in 1983 and hosts the PGA Tour's Honda Classic each March.
The highlight of the trip came when the team had the chance to meet prominent professionals such as Ernie Els, David Duval and all-time legend Jack Nicklaus, who has won a record 18 majors.
James Pleat '13 said meeting some of the athletes the team admires was an experience he would not soon forget.
"It was unbelievable," he said. "We couldn't believe we were meeting these guys. We had a conversation with David Duval, and it was nice to see he was just like a normal guy."
The main focus of the trip, however, was on training, and Peter Williamson '12 Dartmouth's top golfer last spring said it was important to maximize the team's practice time in Florida, as it is difficult for players to work on various aspects of their games while the Hanover Country Club is closed.
"We've got to keep swinging," he said. "We'll stay in [Leverone Field House] and get some swings in and some putts. We'll use video analysis to keep the mechanics straight."
As the season begins, the Big Green will look to improve on its fourth place finish at last year's Ivy League Championship. The key to the team's success will be consistency from Dartmouth's fourth and fifth players, who are still undetermined as the team heads into the season opener.
"We're still trying to find a four and a five guy," Parker said. "It's not easy."
Dartmouth's top-three makeup of Williamson, Pleat and captain Davis Mullany '11 is set, but the last two slots will be crucial to the team's overall ranking, as five golfers are allowed at the League Championship and four of their scores determine the final team standings.
Parker said he intends to use the season's first two tournaments to audition players for the final spots before deciding on the full lineup for the Championships.
Dartmouth experienced mixed success in the five-tournament fall season, finishing as high as second of 15 teams at the Hartford Hawk Invitational, but also as low as 12th of 15 at The McLaughlin.
Aside from the two open spots, the continued excellence of Williamson will be critical for the Big Green.
Williamson was named to his second straight All-Ivy First Team last spring, tying for fourth at the Championship after placing first his freshman year. Williamson's expectations are high entering the 2011 season, and he hopes to help the team to victory this spring.
"Individually, I'm hoping to do what I did freshman year and bring home the title," he said about the Championships.
Parker said that although Dartmouth may not be the favorite entering the season, anything can happen at the upcoming invitationals to change the outcome for the team.
"On paper, we're probably about the fourth best team," he said. "But you know, watching this [NCAA] basketball tournament, they don't play these games on paper. Everybody's got to do their job."
