ABC Golf Reporter Mark Rolfing '71 Returns to Campus for October 5 'Working Press' Session

September 29, 1994

September 29, 1994, Greencastle, Ind. - On almost any weekend, you can see him on the golf course. But he's never carrying -- or swinging -- a set of clubs. Instead, his gear consists of a battery pack on his belt, a space-age antenna and earphones atop his head, and a microphone in his hand. The man in question is a good golfer, but he's best known as ABC-TV's man on the scene. In fact, USA Today calls Mark Rolfing television's best oncourse golf reporter. Rolfing is a 1971 graduate of DePauw University, a most valuable member of the university's nationally ranked golf team in 1970, and a one-time roommate of another DePauw graduate and golfer, former Vice-President Dan Quayle.

Rolfing will be on campus Wednesday, October 5, for a session of 'The Working Press," at 7:30 p.m. in the Center for Contemporary Media, Watson Forum. He will speak on the future of sports on network TV. The lecture is free and the public is invited to attend.

His degree at DePauw was in political science. He blames that on former Vice President Quayle's influence. He says his real goal at DePauw was to become the school's varsity quarterback, but his talent was golf. Quayle, of course, was a DePauw golfer, too. Who was better? Well, Quayle, an upperclassman, was the No. 1 man on the team. Rolfing, a couple of years younger, was No. 2. Rolfing declines to say who was best. "We both played about the same."

Although he was a golf star in college, Rolfing didn't have much success as a pro. After obtaining his master's degree in 1972, he set out to become a golf star. But 70 tournaments and two years later, he gave up his dreams of a touring career after he failed twice to qualify for the PGA tour. Instead he and his wife flew to Hawaii for a vacation. The rest is a story of success. He got a job in the cart barn at Kapalua Resort's Bay Course. Five years later he was director of marketing and recreation for the resort.

In 1985, his big television break came. ESPN persuaded him to drop up to the booth for a chat after his round in the Kapalua International. ESPN liked what it saw and heard. That led to a full-time job. Two years later he moved to NBC, and in 1991 he was hired by ABC, which had an expanding golf schedule. Rolfing covers more than 20 tournaments a year for ABC, including the U.S. and British Opens.

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