Zak Ottman grew up in the greater Rochester area and chose to play college golf at Binghamton University. During his four-year career, he was a mainstay in the starting lineup. In his senior year, he tied for medalist honors at the Bearcats' home invitational.
Ottman stayed in the Binghamton area following graduation and is now working in the insurance industry.
Tell us what you have been doing since graduating from Binghamton.
Since graduation I have started working in Property & Casualty Insurance for Insurance Office of America here in Binghamton.
How has the current COVID-19 pandemic impacted your place of work?
COVID-19 has certainly made my profession more challenging. My job requires a lot of face to face appointments and meeting with clients, so my co-workers and I have had to learn to adapt and do our jobs virtually.
Looking back, why did you choose to come to Binghamton for college?
Actually, Dave Cellura (a fellow alumni) got me connected with Coach Herceg. Dave and I both went to Penfield High School. Once I met Coach Herceg and learned about the University there really wasn't a question of where I was going to play. Best decision I've ever made too.
How do you feel you improved your golf game during your collegiate career?
When I came to Binghamton I felt like I had the skill level to play, but I certainly didn't have the right mental game to succeed. It was a long process, but Coach Herceg was relentless in helping my mental progression along with my course management skills.
In your senior year, you tied for medalist honors at the Bearcats' home invitational and the team won the tournament title. What was that moment like for you?
Tying for medalist honors my senior year was easily the best week of my life. To be honest I cared more about winning as a team than I did as an individual. All in all, the support I got from Coach, my family and my current and past teammates was truly special and I couldn't have done it without all of them.
At the awards ceremony following that tournament Justin Lane, who tied you for medalist honors, accepted the runner up trophy so you could have the champions trophy. What did that gesture mean to you?
It meant a lot to me. I had played in almost every tournament at Binghamton, and had so many tough tournaments, so when he gave me the first-place trophy it was a heck of a gesture. He's a fantastic player, and I know he's going to have some more success at Binghamton and beyond.
Besides that one tournament, what are some of the other special moments you remember from your career at Binghamton?
I had a lot of special moments with Binghamton Golf, but nothing hits you quite as hard as walking off the 18th green at your final conference championship. Thinking about all the great experiences I had, all the amazing people I met and how it was all coming to an end was a surreal feeling.
How much do you feel for the current BU golfers on having their fall season postponed on top of last spring?
I feel awful for my teammates and friends who didn't get to knowingly experience their final college golf tournament. It truly is something special to hug Coach and your teammates when its officially all over. It's also a bummer for the new guys coming in who are just eager to get out there and play but can't. I guess all you can do now is practice as much as you can, and prepare yourself mentally for the challenges you'll face out there whenever they're allowed to play again.
Do you stay on touch with your former teammates much?
I try to stay in touch as much as I can, whether it's a text, call, or FaceTime. Obviously being here in Binghamton I'm able to see the ones that are still around, but a lot of my former teammates are all over the country doing their thing, so it's not as easy in that respect.
How do you think you grew as a person during your years at Binghamton?
When I first arrived at Binghamton University I had no idea what to expect. I was nervous about golf, school, meeting new people, etc. But I soon realized that I was surrounded by an amazing support system. I had the best coach in college golf, I had amazing teammates and I began to feel completely at ease in the program. I had the opportunity to travel the country, play against amazing talent, and go to school at one of the best schools in the state. I guess one of the main lessons I learned is college golf will humble you really quickly regardless of who you are, and you will lose far more times than you win. The key is to be resilient and never give up, and that goes for golf, but it also goes for life. All in all, I would recommend playing college golf at Binghamton to anyone who had a dream of playing D1 golf. All things considered, you should choose to play for a team with the best coach and a great school. With Binghamton Golf you get both of those without a doubt.