Men's Golf 2026-27 Season Preview

First-year Hope College men's golf coach Caleb Nykamp '12 is thrilled to see the 2026-27 season tee off.

"It's been a lot of fun," Nykamp said of the Flying Dutch's first 10 days of practice before their first tournament. "The guys have enjoyed spending time together. They've really jelled together quickly. The upperclassmen have been incredibly helpful with the younger guys. They've been competing against each other in practice but asking for advice. That's when you see a good team become great. We're still getting to know each other, but I'm excited to see what they can do."

ROSTER

The Flying Dutch's roster of eight features two juniors, four sophomores and two freshmen.

Junior Will Thomas of Portage, Michigan (Portage Central) leads the group of returning Hope golfers after becoming a two-time All-MIAA honoree last season with a 75.17 average.

Junior Max Shulman of Ypsilanti, Michigan (Ann Arbor Greenhills) joins the Orange and Blue after transferring from the College of Wooster.

Hope returns sophomores Landon Bergsma of Zeeland, Michigan (Holland Christian), Joey Blondia of Richland, Michigan (Gull Lake), Kody Vis of Spring Lake, Michigan (Spring Lake), and Eli Voisard of Tipp City, Ohio (Tippecanoe).

Voisard and Thomas are team captains.

The Flying Dutch also welcome freshmen Will DeHorn of South Lyon, Michigan (South Lyon East) and Jack Douglass of Lake Bluff, Illinois (Lake Forest)

COACHING STAFF

Caleb Nykamp, first season

Nykamp was introduced as Hope's 13th men's golf head coach on March 19. He succeeds the retiring Scott Lokers following the conclusion of the 2025-26 season this spring. Nykamp, a two-time letter winner for the Flying Dutchmen, will return to campus after spending the last nine years as the head boys golf coach at Holland Christian High School.

"Hope College has always been a special place for me, from growing up and attending numerous sporting events from a very young age with my family to experiencing the transformative power of Hope College through academics, athletics, relationships with professors, developing lifelong friendships and spiritual formation opportunities in my four years as a student at Hope," Nykamp said when he was introduced as head coach. "I'm excited to be part of Hope College's mission and to help our student-athletes experience the same sense of purpose and community that meant so much to me. I am honored to follow in the footsteps of Coach [Bob} Ebels and Coach Scott [Lokers] and look forward to building upon the strong tradition and championship standard of excellence they have set for Hope men's golf.

"We intend to continue to build upon that standard with success at the conference and national level, all while pursuing excellence in academics, community engagement, personal growth and development and the integration of our Christian faith into every arena of life."

SCHEDULE

The Flying Dutchmen tee off the 2026-27 season on Tuesday, Sept. 8, at the 36-hole Aurora University Spartan Double Gun at the near 6,800-yard Aurora Country Club in Aurora, Illinois.

Hope will play in six more events this fall, including four MIAA Jamborees.

The Orange and Blue will host a league jamboree on Monday, Oct. 19, at the 7,112 yards Wuskowhan Players Club in West Olive.

The MIAA champion is determined on 108 holes of play. Four 18-hole rounds are scheduled for the fall, one 36-hole, two-day is held in the spring. The Flying Dutch finished third in the MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll.

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Players Mentioned

Landon Bergsma: Sophomore

Joey Blondia: Sophomore

Will Thomas: Junior; Computer Science

Kody Vis: Sophomore

Eli Voisard: Sophomore

Will DeHorn: Freshman

Jack Douglass: Freshman

Max Shulman: Junior

Players Mentioned

Landon Bergsma
: Sophomore

Joey Blondia
: Sophomore

Will Thomas
: Junior; Computer Science

Kody Vis
: Sophomore

Eli Voisard
: Sophomore

Will DeHorn
: Freshman

Jack Douglass
: Freshman

Max Shulman
: Junior