Completed Event: Men's Golf versus Columbia Autumn Invitational on September 27, 2025 , , 2nd of 13 (-11)
Final
Men's Golf
vs Columbia Autumn Invitational
2nd of 13 (-11)
Photo by: The Ivy League/Sideline Photos
Success Through Camaraderie for Turner
6/8/2023 4:37:00 PM | Men's Golf, Peak Performance
Commencement at Dartmouth is this coming weekend
Graduating fifth-year co-captain Mark Turner will remember the impact Dartmouth men's golf had on him long after he leaves campus. Turner, who has no shortage of accolades and is known for his exceptional performance on the team, will take far more than just his performances on the course with him after graduation.
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The experience of being on a team with athletes who not only pushed Turner to be his best, but also became a second family to him had a greater impact on him than he could have anticipated when he first set foot on campus his freshman year.
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"Going from being a new athlete on the team to someone who is a leader was really special," recalled Turner. "The kids on the team are just like family to me; I love them all to death."
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It was actually Mark's older brother, James, who committed to Dartmouth a year before he did, which sparked his interest in the Big Green.
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"When I was in high school, my brother won the New England Amateur and I was caddying for him," said Turner. "Coach Rich Parker came out and watched James play. He ended up committing to Dartmouth a couple of weeks after that tournament and I always loved playing with my brother. Once he committed, it turned into my top choice as well."
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The ability to play with his brother was a deciding factor in Turner's choice to attend Dartmouth, but what kept him coming back even for a fifth year was the mentoring he received as an underclassman and the ability to return that favor to younger athletes as he grew on the team.
Â
"Learning how to act and represent myself and the team, on and off the course, was so invaluable to me," said Turner. "I just felt like I didn't know how to handle being a college golfer when I first got here. I have learned so much from the upperclassmen about how to be a great leader."
Â
Turner looks back on his time on the golf team, and what stands out to him the most is the team's support of each other regardless of performance on the golf course. Turner recalls the joy he felt for simply getting to compete in a sport that he loves with teammates that are like family.
Â
"Our group of guys is so close," said Turner. "We have such a good bond that when you're on the 3 a.m. Dartmouth Coach [traveling to a tournament], it can be a dread, but it never was for us, we just had the greatest time."
Â
It's the team that motivated Turner to perform at his best. While he doesn't necessarily think he will always remember what he shot during a given tournament, Turner will remember his dedication toward making the team succeed.
Â
"Golf is so individual in most parts of the game that you don't rely on a team," said Turner. "The unique thing about college golf is that you're playing with your teammates. It's unlike golf in any other sense because you play individually, but you compete as a team."Â
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College tournaments are one of the few golf spaces where a team's performance outweighs an individual's performance. Turner found that, because his finish directly impacted the team's finish, he was driven not only internally to be his best, but externally to hold himself to high standards because his performances impacted the team's overall success.
Â
"The greatest motivating factor was trying to do the best that I could for my teammates," said Turner. "I wanted to be there when they were struggling. When I was struggling, they were always there for me, so I wanted to give that back to them."
Â
Turner recalls the path of his growth as an athlete over the course of his Dartmouth career as a linear progression, in part due to the empowerment he felt from the support of his teammates and coach.
Â
"I came in at a good place," remembered Turner. "I think I stayed at the same level and improved gradually over time. There wasn't necessarily a turning point; I just gradually got better."
Â
Aside from his desire to be at his best for his teammates, Turner has a very competitive side and is a top performer because of his determination to win. The same way that teammate support drives him, it also ignites his competitive spirit.
Â
"I really hate losing," exclaimed Turner. "I'm about as competitive as they come in pretty much anything I do. Even just playing with teammates in practice, I just couldn't imagine myself losing to them, even though I did all the time; they're phenomenal."
Â
Both Turner's competitive nature and lead-by-example leadership style are just a few of the many impressive attributes that will be missed by the Dartmouth golf program after he has graduated.
Â
"Mark has really matured over the years," said head coach Rich Parker. "He is what you hope for as a coach. He's a competitor in everything that we do. He's always there when you need him. He is going to be missed in so many ways. Plus, he hits the ball 50 yards longer than anybody he ever plays with."
Â
During his time as an athlete and captain on the Dartmouth men's golf team Turner was able to simultaneously compete fiercely with his teammates and lead the team in a manner that supported and empowered them at the same time. His competitive and reliable presence will be missed.
Â
"Mark never took away anything from our team; he always added," said Parker. "He is everything that I ever thought he would be as a player, and it's been a joy to coach him. And in the end after all the golf, all the tournaments, all the great rounds and all the heartache, there is more to it than just golf. Mark is a caring person and he's very respectful.
Â
"He will be missed."
Â
Turner finished out an extremely successful college golf career achieving Dartmouth's 2022-23 Men's Golf Academic All-Ivy honor as well as a spot on the 2022-23 All-Ivy second team for his eighth place finish in the Ivy League Men's Golf Championship. He was also nominated for the 2023 Kenneth Archibald Prize, recognizing athletic achievement.
Â
Turner's legacy of excellence has impacted both Dartmouth and Ivy League Golf in immeasurable ways.
Â
Â
The experience of being on a team with athletes who not only pushed Turner to be his best, but also became a second family to him had a greater impact on him than he could have anticipated when he first set foot on campus his freshman year.
Â
"Going from being a new athlete on the team to someone who is a leader was really special," recalled Turner. "The kids on the team are just like family to me; I love them all to death."
Â
It was actually Mark's older brother, James, who committed to Dartmouth a year before he did, which sparked his interest in the Big Green.
 "When I was in high school, my brother won the New England Amateur and I was caddying for him," said Turner. "Coach Rich Parker came out and watched James play. He ended up committing to Dartmouth a couple of weeks after that tournament and I always loved playing with my brother. Once he committed, it turned into my top choice as well."
Â
The ability to play with his brother was a deciding factor in Turner's choice to attend Dartmouth, but what kept him coming back even for a fifth year was the mentoring he received as an underclassman and the ability to return that favor to younger athletes as he grew on the team.
Â
"Learning how to act and represent myself and the team, on and off the course, was so invaluable to me," said Turner. "I just felt like I didn't know how to handle being a college golfer when I first got here. I have learned so much from the upperclassmen about how to be a great leader."
Â
Turner looks back on his time on the golf team, and what stands out to him the most is the team's support of each other regardless of performance on the golf course. Turner recalls the joy he felt for simply getting to compete in a sport that he loves with teammates that are like family.
Â
"Our group of guys is so close," said Turner. "We have such a good bond that when you're on the 3 a.m. Dartmouth Coach [traveling to a tournament], it can be a dread, but it never was for us, we just had the greatest time."
Â
It's the team that motivated Turner to perform at his best. While he doesn't necessarily think he will always remember what he shot during a given tournament, Turner will remember his dedication toward making the team succeed.
Â
"Golf is so individual in most parts of the game that you don't rely on a team," said Turner. "The unique thing about college golf is that you're playing with your teammates. It's unlike golf in any other sense because you play individually, but you compete as a team."Â
Â
College tournaments are one of the few golf spaces where a team's performance outweighs an individual's performance. Turner found that, because his finish directly impacted the team's finish, he was driven not only internally to be his best, but externally to hold himself to high standards because his performances impacted the team's overall success.
 "The greatest motivating factor was trying to do the best that I could for my teammates," said Turner. "I wanted to be there when they were struggling. When I was struggling, they were always there for me, so I wanted to give that back to them."
Â
Turner recalls the path of his growth as an athlete over the course of his Dartmouth career as a linear progression, in part due to the empowerment he felt from the support of his teammates and coach.
Â
"I came in at a good place," remembered Turner. "I think I stayed at the same level and improved gradually over time. There wasn't necessarily a turning point; I just gradually got better."
Â
Aside from his desire to be at his best for his teammates, Turner has a very competitive side and is a top performer because of his determination to win. The same way that teammate support drives him, it also ignites his competitive spirit.
Â
"I really hate losing," exclaimed Turner. "I'm about as competitive as they come in pretty much anything I do. Even just playing with teammates in practice, I just couldn't imagine myself losing to them, even though I did all the time; they're phenomenal."
Â
Both Turner's competitive nature and lead-by-example leadership style are just a few of the many impressive attributes that will be missed by the Dartmouth golf program after he has graduated.
Â
"Mark has really matured over the years," said head coach Rich Parker. "He is what you hope for as a coach. He's a competitor in everything that we do. He's always there when you need him. He is going to be missed in so many ways. Plus, he hits the ball 50 yards longer than anybody he ever plays with."
 During his time as an athlete and captain on the Dartmouth men's golf team Turner was able to simultaneously compete fiercely with his teammates and lead the team in a manner that supported and empowered them at the same time. His competitive and reliable presence will be missed.
Â
"Mark never took away anything from our team; he always added," said Parker. "He is everything that I ever thought he would be as a player, and it's been a joy to coach him. And in the end after all the golf, all the tournaments, all the great rounds and all the heartache, there is more to it than just golf. Mark is a caring person and he's very respectful.
Â
"He will be missed."
Â
Turner finished out an extremely successful college golf career achieving Dartmouth's 2022-23 Men's Golf Academic All-Ivy honor as well as a spot on the 2022-23 All-Ivy second team for his eighth place finish in the Ivy League Men's Golf Championship. He was also nominated for the 2023 Kenneth Archibald Prize, recognizing athletic achievement.
Â
Turner's legacy of excellence has impacted both Dartmouth and Ivy League Golf in immeasurable ways.
Â
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Golf
Interview: Coach Conversation with Rich Parker, Mar. 29, 2023
Wednesday, March 29
Interview: Coaching during COVID: Men's and Women's Golf, April 20, 2021
Wednesday, June 09
Interview: Season Interrupted - Men's Golf, Apr. 2, 2020
Thursday, April 02
