If the Georgia men’s golf team wants a glimpse into the lives of a professional golfer, all it has to do is take a look at the summer.

When the final round at the 2009 men’s golf NCAA Championships is complete, the travel and work begins.

And that’s even more true in a year like this, when the Walker Cup – the Ryder Cup of amateur golf – is on the line.

“It’s a Walker Cup year, so I think most are planning on playing a pretty full schedule with a chance of possibly playing on that team,” Georgia head coach Chris Haack said.

Take All-SEC senior Adam Mitchell, who was named to the Palmer Cup team. He will forgo turning professional until the fall and will have eight tournaments on his summer schedule in two short months.

“I guess right after the Nationals, I have the Palmer Cup,” Mitchell said. “Then, I’m heading to the U.S. Open Qualifier and the Northeast Amateur in Providence, R.I., and the Dogwood Amateur in Atlanta, The Players Amateur in Hilton Head, the Southern Amateur in Memphis and the Porter Cup in Buffalo, N.Y., and then the U.S. Amateur.”

With tournaments all over, gone are opportunities for internships, summer classes or extensive amounts of time at home.

But sophomore Russell Henley, who has a similar schedule as Mitchell with the exception of the British Amateur, wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I mean I get to travel all over and meet new people and they have family housing at all these tournaments, and I get to see a bunch of people that I’ve met over the last couple of summers at tournaments,” Henley said. “And I’ve met maybe more people than most college people would meet doing an internship.”

In addition to the travel and connections, the amateur circuit provides a unique opportunity to improve and play tournaments with other college players during the offseason.

And with senior starters Brian Harman and Mitchell graduating, the starting lineup will be devoid of two of the greatest players in program history, leaving an opportunity for two players to emerge this summer.

“Well, it really could be any of them – Rob Bennett, Will Kropp, Lowery Thomas, T.J. Mitchell, or incoming freshman Brian Carter – so it’s important for them to get out there this summer and gain valuable experience for the fall,” Haack said.

However, Harman has his clear choice of who definitely will fill one of those spots.

“I feel like Kropp has been sort of our diamond in the rough this year,” Harman said.

“He didn’t get a chance this year because we returned everyone from last year’s team, but he really needs to step up next year. I honestly don’t think there’s another team in the country, besides us, that he wouldn’t start for this year.”

And after an impressive tie for third place at the Azalea Invitational, and a 16th place finish at the Terra Cotta Invitational this spring, Haack said he likes what he has seen out of the talented freshman.

“Both at the Azalea and Terra Cotta, he had the lead after the first round, so that tells you what he’s capable of doing, but it’s obvious that the potential is there,” Haack said.

While Kropp, Mitchell, Henley and the rest of them battle it out on the amateur circuit this summer, there is a chance Harman could be competing on the PGA Tour.

He has written letters for sponsor’s exemptions to the Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, N.C., and the Travelers Championship in Hartford, Conn.

However, if he doesn’t hear good news from those two tournaments, he could be right back playing with his teammates again.

“If I get into either of those, then I will definitely turn pro right after those. If I don’t get either of those, then I’ll probably remain an amateur,” Harman said. “If I do get into one of those, then I’ll probably try some Monday qualifiers on the Nationwide Tour and go on the Canadian Tour some.”