Office of the Chancellor > Speeches, Columns and Letters > Hale Irwin Commencement Address

Hale Irwin Commencement Address
May 11, 2007

Thank you for the opportunity to be with you today. I am honored and proud to be a part of your graduation ceremonies. When I was invited to be your commencement speaker I was flattered, yet honestly, I was somewhat perplexed as to what message I could deliver to you that might make a difference in your perspective on life after being a student. So I sought out a friend in former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Conner and asked her for some assistance. She advised me to speak from 1 my heart and draw from my own experiences those things which have made the biggest impact on my life and my career. That seemed easy enough until I sat down to pull together those things that have enriched my life so much.

As a boy, I was raised in southeast Kansas in a small town where most people knew each other and the community did things together. It was a wonderful upbringing, and I would not trade those memories for anything. The love, caring, and respect we enjoyed were enormous, as were the simple courtesies extended to one another. Those were powerful influences that were built into our lives. Some might refer to those times as the good old days when life was less hectic and a bit simpler. Sporting activities, some organized and some not, were prevalent and had a positive effect on my childhood which has carried through with me to this day. My lessons in life came largely, but not entirely, from my experiences in sports.

Having been where you are now I was definitely looking at an uncertain future. There was no defined path that had my name on it, no concise direction as to the best way to move forward, and in no way was I fully prepared to handle all the decisions that needed to be made in a short period of time that would affect my immediate future. As a young adult with no worldly experience it was an exciting, yet unnerving period in my life.

After moving to Boulder at the age of 14, my mom began working here at CD as a receptionist in the student employment and financial aid office where she ultimately became director of that department. CD became a part of our lives, and I later accepted a scholarship to play football here. It was here that I met my wife Sally, who is also a CD graduate. My brother, my son, and a nephew all are Buffs as well. Being a student athlete helped me find myself and, ultimately, identified a possible future career. My experiences in the classroom, the football field, and the golf courses that I played helped keep the sanity in what can sometimes be an insane time as a college student.

Eddie Crowder, who was my football coach, was terrific in offering motivational thoughts. One that comes to mind at this time was him saying that the best have a will to prepare. It matters little from what field of endeavor that you come if you have the will to prepare for success. That meaning to me is that the best are willing to push forward by using their skills and knowledge to pursue an idea or a dream without an exact blueprint on how to make it succeed but knowing that there will be a positive result at the end of their quest. An example of this is a friend who as a young car salesman realized that when people brought their cars in for service there was no plan to get them back to their homes or offices. His idea was to provide cars at the dealership for people to rent until their cars were ready. He then purchased a few cars from dealerships outside of town, as they were not as expensive, and then rented them back to the customers. From a very small fleet of cars Enterprise Leasing was born and has become the largest rental car company in the world and owns 50% of that market. Simple idea, terrific results.

Successful people are not afraid of challenges but look at them as opportunities to succeed where others fail. They use those instances to further enrich their personal and professional lives. A message that I have given to my children is that there is nothing in life worth having or holding dear if it is too easily attainable. It would not be special then. Whether it is good grades or a happy and strong relationship with loved ones or climbing the highest mountain it takes a lot of effort. The point to be made here is that we have choices. We can either work hard for those things that are important to us or settle for something of lesser value.

My decision to become a professional golfer was made by what I have just stated. I found that my experiences as a football player were helping shape my attitude and perspective of myself. I could succeed on the field only if I prepared better than my opponents and believed in myself. Dedication to overcome obstacles was a way to defeat adversity while making me a better player and a stronger person. Those lessons certainly carried into golf. While vastly different sports, they have very much the same disciplines for success.

Quite early in my pursuit of a career in golf I learned that I was woefully short on experience but long in desire. Playing here at CD was a beginning but a much larger stage now awaited me. The close and generous support given to me by my family and friends was without a doubt the reason for my initial success. They were small but positive steps up the ladder. I was willing to prepare and spent countless hours trying to build my plan and execute it. Was I ever discouraged? You bet, but I never gave up. Being around some of the greats in the game such as Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, and Gary Player showed me how they went about their business and gave me a model by which I could learn to get better. One thing that they all had and still do was respect for the game and for themselves and for each other. They are accountable and responsible ultimately to their hearts and to their minds. Perhaps that is why they succeeded where others of equal talent did not do as well. It has been said, and I wholeheartedly concur, that golf is but a small representation of life itself. That may be a bold statement, but let me read to you a part of a quote by David R. Forgan entitled the Golfer's Creed. He writes, "It is a sciencethe study of a lifetime, in which you may exhaust yourself but never your subject. It is a contest, a duel or a melee, calling for courage, skill, strategy, and self control. It is a test of the temper, a trial of honor, a revealer of character. It affords a chance to play the man, and act the gentleman."

Some people may not understand this or, for that matter, really care, but it states in large measure what has helped drive my career. Certainly playing at the professional level is somewhat different than playing as an amateur, but the same time honored traditions still hold. This quote can apply to nearly all professions.

Let's face it. It's a big, sometimes bad, but always challenging and exciting world out there. Whether you continue as a grad student or enter the workforce, you will always be learning. Be inquisitive, ask questions, and look for answers. Identify those qualities that you possess that will help you in the journey along life's highways. Be honest with yourself, and don't be afraid of self analysis. Treat those around you with respect and you will be respected in return. If you have a dream or an idea, pursue it. Be passionate about your life as it's the only one that you have. The potential to succeed is within all of you. What you have been will help mold what you will become. The theory of the classroom will soon be overtaken by the practicality of everyday living. The decisions that you will have to make often times do not have a clear and obvious direction. Compromise may be a way to keep moving forward. Responsibility and accountability are for you to accept as a way to live your life. You learn how to do this on your own with other people only as a supporting cast.

Whether you stay here or move on, you will always be a Buff. The time that you have spent at CD will remain with you always. Be proud of your achievements. Take each day one day at a time. Be creative, work hard, believe in yourself, and be respectful and success and happiness will follow you throughout your lives. I wish you only what the best in life can offer. Good Luck!