In this Fuel Your Future series, we profile six motivated students on their educational journey and learn how Davenport is igniting their passion and fueling their future. 

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When Sutton Schroeder of Greenville was just three years old, his parents took a leap of faith and purchased Brookside Golf Course in Gowen.

The family had no way of knowing then that their new business would have a substantial impact on their son, helping to shape his interests in adolescence, fueling his passion as a teenager, and solidifying his commitment to golf as a freshman at Davenport University.   

His mother, Mandy, and father, Trent, said they never wanted to push golf onto their children, so while there was no pressure to become a golfer, he started taking a serious interest in learning the game around the age of ten.  “He started playing in competitive junior tournaments, like the West Michigan Junior Golf Tour, Callaway Meijer Junior Golf Tour and Top 50 events,” said Mandy. “He found some success on those tours, and then, during the COVID-19 pandemic, when there was essentially nothing else to do, Sutton began playing a ton of golf at Brookside. He was typically on the course from morning until night, and it quickly became all he wanted to do,” she said. 

His love for the game continued in high school, where he not only played on the varsity team all four years, but he was also voted MVP and captain all four years. During that time, Schroeder made lifelong friendships and memories he’ll never forget. “Making a six-foot putt my freshman year to go to State was pretty exciting,” he said. “Another highlight was being able to play on the same team as my younger brother in my senior year.” 

When Schroeder wasn’t playing golf, he was eagerly learning the family business and what it takes to run a successful golf course. He worked at Brookside throughout grade school and high school, helping out the grounds crew, and completed a work-study program in his senior year, learning how a course should be maintained and cared for.

He said the jury is still out on whether he will take over the family course one day, but he is interested in owning his own business in the future. “I’ve watched my dad own his own business, and I started a car detailing business, so the idea of being an entrepreneur appeals to me,” he said. 

While Schroeder has closed one chapter, he eagerly awaits the next – attending Davenport and making memories with his new team. “I’m most excited to play golf collegiately and be around others who are passionate about golf like I am,” he said.  “It will be fun to work out and travel together. I can’t wait!”

While his plans are finalized now, there was a time not long ago when he wasn’t sure where he’d land. He was initially drawn to Davenport because of the excellent reputation of the university, the Donald W. Maine College of Business and the opportunity to play golf for the Panthers.  “I wasn’t ready to be done playing golf, so I took the initiative to contact Davenport’s golf coach, and the rest is history. I was looking for the perfect fit, and I found it at Davenport,” he said.  “I am just so thankful everything worked out, and I will be attending Davenport studying business and contributing to the golf team. Davenport is the perfect place for me!”