RUSTON – It's Thursday, Sept. 6 – the first day of fall quarter – at Louisiana Tech and guess where Bulldog golfer Nick Daniel is spending his entire day?
 
On a golf course, of course.
 
And no, he wasn't skipping.  No Tuesday-Thursday classes gave him the opportunity to break out the clubs, hit some balls and then play a round with his family.  After all, his parents were the ones that introduced him to the sport at the ripe old age of two.
 
"I started playing golf as soon as I could pick up a club," Daniel said.  "My parents had me a plastic set and I used to putt balls around the living room and go out in the back yard and hit balls. 
 
"My mom played college golf at Mississippi State so that is where I got my introduction into golf.  My sister is committed to Mississippi State and will be playing there next year.  We play all the time together." 
 
Throw in the dad who has a handicap of two and it is usually the men versus the women.  Don't go expecting a lot of fun and laughter though. 
 
"It is very competitive," Daniel asserted.  "We do not like losing to each other."
 
Before he called Ruston/Louisiana Tech/Squire Creek Country Club his home, Daniel was firing rounds in the 60s down south at Archbishop Hannan High School in Covington, Louisiana. 
 
What brought him to north Louisiana?  The family atmosphere and the home golf course of the 'Dogs.
 
"I really felt at home at Louisiana Tech," Daniel said.  "It had a family atmosphere where everybody is welcome, and I wanted to be part of it.  And you can't beat the golf course.  That was a big thing for me was going to a good golf course.  Quality wise, Squire Creek is one of the best courses I have ever played at."
 
And he has played at a lot.  About 1,000 he estimates, including courses in places like England, Scotland and Nova Scotia. 
 
As a freshman, Daniel played eight rounds while competing in three events with his best finish coming at the David Toms Intercollegiate; he tied for 47th with a two-round total of 156.  
 
He's looking to elevate his play during his sophomore campaign.  To do so, he'll have to put in the work like he is doing on his off days.
 
"On an off day, I go to work out in the morning around 8 a.m.," he said. "And then I get to the golf course around 9:30 a.m. and practice my short game and hit ball for about three hours.  I'll go have lunch and then come back out, have a light warmup and go play a round until about 5 p.m.  And then I would go practice what I didn't do well and probably leave the course around 6:30 p.m."
 
His passion for sports does not stop at golf.  He was a starting point guard on his high school basketball team.  Plus, his family has season tickets to the New Orleans Saints and Pelicans. 
 
It's no wonder that his current major is sports marketing. 
 
"I've always wanted to be involved with sports," said Daniel, who earned a spot on the Conference USA Commissioner's Honor Roll last year for his work in the classroom.  "I don't know what my career path will be yet though.  Maybe something like a sports agent."
 
Whatever the future holds for the young student-athlete, rest assured he'll be hitting both the books and the links.