2025 Yearbook

25 Erika Holmberg Ashton Martens In her first year as the IGA Marketing and Communica- tions Intern, Erika Holmberg brought a fresh and dynamic presence to the IGA’s storytelling efforts. A current English major at Drake University, Erika’s pas- sion for writing shone through in her captivating tourna- ment articles, which highlighted players and their accom- plishments at a new level. Her ability to craft compelling narratives gave readers a deeper connection to the game and the people who play it, elevating the IGA’s written con- tent throughout the season. These storytelling efforts were also evident in her internship-long project of constructing the 2025 IGA yearbook. Beyond her words, Erika’s creative eye behind the camera lens helped capture the emotion and excitement of cham- pionship moments, keeping social media engagement and views at an all-time high. Her pre-tournament coverage, including hype and teaser videos, built anticipation and drew in audiences across platforms. A strong drive to deliv- er quality content often meant early morning or late nights at host facilities before the championship teed off, all in the name of providing creative and new content for socials. With a background in competitive golf, and current member of the Drake Women’s Golf Team, Erika brought a unique perspective to how she marketed and covered IGA events—blending firsthand understanding of the player ex- perience with creative storytelling that resonated with both participants and fans alike. "I am beyond grateful for my time interning with the IGA. This experience taught me so much about the intraca- cies of tournament setup, golf administration, and media techniques. Additionally, the connections made with the incredible staff and volunteer members are sure to last a lifetime!" Rounding out the 2025 intern class was Ashton Martens who specialized in Handicapping and Course Rating. With a strong attention to detail, Martens thrived in the role which featured many different software calculations, measurements, and understanding of what all goes into establishing a golf course's slope and rating. Efficient with his time, Martens was able to work through many of the various calls, emails, and inquiries submitted by IGA Members regarding handicap questions, renew- als, and overall educational efforts to keep our members informed. One of his largest projects was creating the Course Rating Volunteer Guide. The multipage document features a one stop shop for all current and future course rating vol- unteers. Detailed within the document, raters will learn exactly what steps are necessary for setting up, conduct- ing, and finalizing a course rating. They will also know what equipment will be needed including but not limited to: range finders, printed materials, and the Google Earth software. The guide will be implemented in the future and will be a great resource for not only growing the volunteer base, but training existing volunteers on what it takes to be a team captain. "Interning with the IGA was an experience I am extremely grateful for! I learned so much over the summer and met so many amazing people. The IGA sets the standard in golf administration and I'm very happy I spent my sum- mer with the amazing staff!"