BILLINGS, Mont. -- Most people in their 60's are sitting back and enjoying retirement, spending time with family, or enjoying life's bliss, but that isn't the case for Clark Swan, a 62-year old senior on the Montana State Billings men's golf team.
 
This fall Swan became, what is believed to be, the oldest golfer in NCAA history. More importantly to Swan, he is returning to Montana State Billings to complete a history degree that he began work on just over 40 years ago.
 
“It's been an overwhelmingly positive experience already,” Swan said of his opportunity. “The chance to come back has made me feel younger and older at the same time. Everything has just aligned perfectly and I'm so thankful to everyone for the opportunity.”
 
A Billings native, Swan's family moved to the Denver area where he graduated from George Washington High School in 1967. He returned to Billings that fall and stepped on the campus of what was then Eastern Montana College to pursue a pre-dental degree.
 
After switching his focus to pre-law and then history, Swan decided to walk-on to the EMC football and golf teams. He played sparingly as a back-up punter during the '67 and '68 football seasons, but on the links, Swan found his niche.
 
Playing as the number four golfer in most contests, Swan found great friendships and success as a Yellowjacket golfer. His greatest triumph was his medalist honor that he earned in a tournament played in Casper, Wyo., during one of his seasons.
 
Swan was married in 1970 and left EMC, 35 credits short of his degree, to move back to Denver for a sales job. That move was what Swan would reflect on some 40 years later after his wife was diagnosed with dementia and moved into a nursing home.
 
Staring at all of the football and golf trophies in the lobby of Alterowitz Gymnasium, Swan never thought about returning to competition, just reflecting on the past. He then spoke with a former coach that suggested he might still have eligibility left for golf.
 
Swan then went on a mission, checking with the MSUB compliance department and then the NCAA, trying to find out if, and how much, eligibility remained. Word then came down that indeed there was one year remaining for Swan to compete as an NCAA student-athlete.

After making the decision to return to school, Swan approached MSUB golf coach Shawn O'Brien about walking on to the 2011-12 golf team and complete his final year of eligibility. O'Brien obliged and Swan began practice in the fall with his teammates who are, for the most part, around one-third his age.
 
“This opportunity has made me feel younger and older at the same time,” said Swan. “The whole team has been receptive and encouraging, but it's been an adjustment to go back to playing the tips again after playing the senior tees for so many years.”
 
Swan has had to get re-acclimated to life as a student-athlete, the 6 a.m. weights, afternoon practices, study halls and the classes. However, he says he would have it no other way and is enjoying his second chance at college life.
 
He's re-found his success in the classroom, carrying a perfect 4.0 GPA since returning to school and taking nine courses. He attributes his GPA to his hard-work and the internet, stating research for papers has been a lot easier 40 years later.
 
“Things have been a lot easier this time around,” Swan said. “I struggled with research my first time around, but the internet has made it so much easier to access so much more information. I'm proud that I've been able to get back into the classroom and done well. I've also enjoyed the face to face time with everyone in all of my classes.”
 
Swan has played in two tournaments since arriving at MSUB, but still wants to achieve his goal of playing again in the top-five for a tournament. Swan will be a part of the MSUB/RMC Ryder Cup later this month and will then have an opportunity in the spring to qualify to play in one of the scheduled tournaments.