July 12, 2020
BY AAGD STAFF
Mulbe Dillard IV has been playing golf since he was two years old. His father was the one who introduced him to the game and kept the youngster motivated to practice. His dad must have had a vision of his son’s impending greatness because he also taught him to love the game, to embrace the highs and lows and all else that comes with the sport. Since then, golf has become Mulbe’s passion and it is continuing to expand in his 21-year-old life in more ways than one.
Mulbe, whose name is of African origin and means “African warrior” so loved the game that in 2017 he founded and became CEO of his Mulbe Dillard Golf Coaching Academy. There as owner and Lead Instructor he volunteered in coordinating schedules and training plans for his students, helped them sharpen their golfing skills, and spearheaded informal sessions of the sport. Through his work, he successfully developed 10 students through demonstrative courses 2-3 times a week throughout the summer. He also became involved with the American Junior Golf Academy.
That same year Mulbe also served the First Tee of Greater Chicago as a Coach and Mentor, teaching basic golfing fundamentals to kids between the ages of 6-17, two-to-three times a week. His volunteer duties included reinforcing the essence of integrity, respect, and perseverance through the game of golf while providing therapeutic golf lessons.
His persistence in playing paid off with a full-ride scholarship to Florida A&M University. During college breaks, this year and last, instead of following his normal schedule of interning at private equity firms, the amateur golfer took a leap of faith that enabled him to focus more on practicing and competing on the golf course.
This summer, Mulbe is again playing as an amateur competitor on the Advocates Pro Golf Association (APGA) Tour. Formed in 2008, the APGA Tour is a professional circuit that promotes diversity in the sport. The young man who enjoys playing the violin, cooking, science, and stocks has been considering this move for years and now he believes the timing is right, plus he has gained more skills and stronger confidence to back it up.
The APGA field is filled with amateurs who have been involved with the organization for years, so newcomer Mulbe will find himself in the company of some fierce competitors. He also knows the APGA Tour is the next step to reaching professional playing status in the field.
“After doing those two internships, I sat back and thought about how my golf game has developed at each level I’ve played,” Mulbe said in an interview with PGATour.com. “Each situation I’ve put myself in for golf, I’ve figured out a way to work my butt off and get to the top of that section that I’m in. I want to give (pro golf) a shot. I don’t want to be 50-years-old and say I never had the opportunity to go pro because I was sitting in an office.
“I’m dedicated to being the best I can by any means possible.”
Growing up in Chicago, Mulbe played as a junior golfer. Several times a week the youngster made the 45-minute commute out to Midwest Golf Club. After relocating to Florida to attend Florida A&M, he played Division I golf and still has two seasons left there to prepare for a pro career.
Mulbe kept up with the pace and honed his skills on the team and twice won during his junior season with the Rattlers. Seemingly non-stop in his consistent practice regime, it paid off with two top-5s, before the COVID-19 pandemic brought all activities in golf to a pause. Mulbe’s impressive scoring average of 72.7 was the lowest on a team that won four consecutive tournaments this season.
During the pandemic, things are still unpredictable for many colleges and college golf teams, however, the NCAA is granting student-athletes who have been impacted by the pandemic an extra year of eligibility. Within this time span, Mulbe plans to spend an extra season in Tallahassee, Florida, and pursue a master’s degree in sport management.
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RELATED: Making it to pro status in golf takes a lot of effort, money, and travel, so Mulbe, 5’9″, knows that a college degree offers a strong backup plan just in case things do not work out. Staying positive, Mulbe’s first priority is to play professionally. He’s fortunate to have the opportunities that came with competing on the APGA Tour in 2019, and he’s glad to be back again this year. These experiences have added to upping both his skills and professional development as a golfer.
Being involved with APGA, Mulbe has been playing a variety of longer and tougher courses and, he’s had the opportunity to see how things happen behind the scenes and how professional players handle situations, glory and disappointments that occur on the course. During his most recent collegiate seasons, Mulbe gain two victories: the Gulf Shores Invitational and BCGCA Intercollegiate —the first two of his career.
“The competition that I get from playing against these guys who are striving to be on bigger tours is great for the development of my game,” Mulbe said to PGATour.com. “The main difference that I see is the mental game. … From playing on this tour and playing with people who are at a more advanced level, I can see that they don’t get down on themselves. If something bad happens, they say, ‘I’m about to hit a spectacular shot to get out of this predicament.’”
“He’s taken me under his wing,” Mulbe said. “He has definitely helped me out with my game, with being able to talk to people … he’s helped me out with networking, and my thought process on the golf course. For how my game has changed this summer, I don’t think I owe anything to anyone else other than Kamaiu. He has helped me out tremendously.”
The sky is the limit for Mulbe as he settled in on his choice to spend summers pursuing his dream of pro golf. His decision is aided by the fact that as part of the APGA’s development program, he will receive lessons from Todd Anderson, the Director of Instruction at the PGA TOUR’s Performance Center at TPC Sawgrass. Note that among Anderson’s students is former FedEx Cup champion Billy Horschel.
“I am teachable, never turning down advice from coaches about how to improve my game. I have consistently been a hard worker in my endeavors and strive to be excellent,” said Mulbe in his NCSA Recruitment Profile.
“That’s an incredible opportunity because for the longest time I’ve been trying to figure out what I need to do to get to that next level,” said Mulbe. “His understanding of the game will definitely give me the resources to get to that next level.”
