Former Iowa golf standout Mac McClear (BBA23)—the only Hawkeye linksman to ever win multiple Big Ten championships—is grinding his way towards a spot on the PGA Tour.

He’s aiming for a possible Korn Ferry Tour spot later in the fall—the final step toward the PGA—and also hopes to qualify for this summer’s John Deere Classic in the Quad Cities, which would give Hawkeye fans a great chance to see him live.

As for us mere mortal hackers, he has some simple tips to shave some strokes:

Set up properly

"If your alignment, grip or ball position are off, it can be very difficult to hit good shots. That is one of the easiest and simplest ways to keep your game in shape."

Improve your sand play

"Bunkers are some of the toughest spots for amateurs, but if you know how to hit them, they are actually one of the easier chips shots. The key is opening the club face way more than you think. This allows you to use the bounce of the wedge and helps the club slide through the sand instead of digging. Open the face, hit one to two inches behind the ball, and swing hard. The ball will pop right up on the green!”

Choose the right club

"People tend to overestimate how far they hit the ball. Most of the time amateurs don't use nearly enough club. Even decent shots don't turn out if you have the wrong club. Making better decisions could take two to three shots off your game immediately."

Learn & problem solve

McClear said he applies some of what he learned as a finance major at Tippie to his approach. "The two biggest skills that translate are the ability to learn and problem solve. Every day, you must be able to process what's going on and correct it."

This article appeared in the 2025 issue of Exchange magazine.