Reviews for HONR258O

Information Review
Seppo Iso-Ahola
HONR258O

Expecting an A
Anonymous
04/26/2019
I definitely recommend this honors seminar, not because it’s easy but because it will teach you so much. I was kind of mad when I realized it doesn’t fulfill any gen eds, but I am glad I took this class. It wasn’t easy, that’s for sure. For the first part of the semester, class would be at the golf course. Kind of a trek over there, and Seppo would never cancel for weather unless the golf course closed. When you get to class there would be a quiz waiting for you on the readings that were assigned the last class. There was so much to read! Most of those quizzes were tough but they don’t count much towards the final grade. The rest of class we learned how to golf. Definitely a one of a kind experience. Seppo can be gruff at times, but he is an excellent teacher. I went from never swinging a golf club before to being able to drive and putt pretty well. It is definitely a good life skill to have. When the weather got colder we finished golfing and had class inside. That was more boring but we learned so much from psychology to physics to philosophy. We did have to read 2 books, write 5 4-6 page papers, and had a midterm and a final. But the small class size (10 people) definitely helped us bond with each other and Seppo. He brought us food on the last day! He is really a nice and interesting fellow once you get to meet him. He’ll joke around with us but was sometimes partial to the guys and treated the girls a little differently (he’s kind of old school that way). Overall loved him and his class
Seppo Iso-Ahola
HONR258O

Expecting an A-
Anonymous
12/18/2018
Professor Ahola is the man. Very nice guy if you get on his good side, and very personable as you get to know him more. At first, with his accent, it may be a bit tough, but over time you can build a great relationship with him. This Honors seminar was a lot of fun, but also a lot of work. If you are looking for an easy A seminar without a lot of work, look elsewhere. there is a large reading packet for between classes, journal to be written by hand after each class, many quizzes at the start of classes, 5-6 papers, 2 books, a midterm, and a final. the midterm and final are pretty tough, quizzes are very hit or miss, the journal and papers are not very hard as long as you meet the length requirements and put in minimal effort. you will get a feel for the class as the semester goes on. overall, the first 6-7 weeks you meet at the driving range and hit balls, and play 9 holes twice, making the class one of a kind. Its not easy, but definitely an enjoyable experience most of the time.
Seppo Iso-Ahola
HONR258O

Expecting an A
Anonymous
11/29/2012
Seppo is the best professor I have had at Maryland. He is fair, and his class is quite entertaining. There is a fairly large packet of readings you need to do throughout the semester, but you also get to spend half of the semester on the driving range learning the game of golf. Seppo greatly improved my game, and is a great instructor. I highly recommend this course if you need an honors seminar.
Seppo Iso-Ahola
HONR258O

Expecting an A
Anonymous
12/09/2011
Dr. Seppo is a great professor. He truly cares about his students, and doesn't care whether you are a novice or experienced golfer. The quizzes are difficult at first, but if you do the reading, they are manageable. The midterm and finals are rough, but if you actually read the material a few times you will be fine. The best part about the course is getting the chance to play golf. You will spend the the first half of the semester on the driving range and then you will get to play one or two rounds of golf before going into the classroom when the weather gets cold. Dr. Seppo can be a genuinely funny guy, and he always seems to be in a good mood. Though some of the inside material can be boring, the first half of the semester more than makes up for it, and I still found myself willing to come to class everyday.
Seppo Iso-Ahola
HONR258O

Expecting an A
Anonymous
10/21/2010
I'd definitely agree with everything the other reviewers said. If you've never taken golf before, it's perfectly fine. Dr. Iso-Ahola grades the newbies on a different scale for the skill exam, and doesn't expect you to know the terminology right away. The quizzes are NOT easy, but once you get used to the kind of questions he asks, it's not so bad. More work than I expected for an Honors seminar about golf, but learning golf makes up for it.
Seppo Iso-Ahola
HONR258O

Expecting a B
cninferno
12/10/2009
This was a really fun and interesting honors seminar. Your grade depends on: - Journal entries (twice a week entries) - 6 papers (4 thought papers, 2 book reviews) - Skills tests (iron shots, wood shots, putting, etc) - 1 midterm - 1 final exam You get a thick reading packet, but the readings are fairly easy to read (except, maybe, some of the scientific articles). A great thing about this honors seminar is the chance to go out to Paint Branch Golf Course and go play 9 holes. It really is an exhilarating experience. For the first half of the semester, you practice your shots at the UMD Driving Range; the second half of the semester is in the class learning about the motor, psychological, and other aspects of golf. Dr. Iso-Ahola is very fair grader, easily approachable, and open to any comments, suggestions, questions, etc. Although not exactly an easy A class, it is a fun, and unique, Honors seminar. If you have experience in golf or are interesting in learning something about golf, take this seminar.
Seppo Iso-Ahola
HONR258O

Expecting an A
bsuarez
10/22/2007
This class was incredibly fun. Where else can you play golf for college credit? There was a huge reading packet, weekly journals, six papers, and two books, but all of it was not difficult at all, as long as you did the work. It may sound like alot, but the course covers everything from social issues to biomechanics to history of golf, and you get to learn to play as well. Iso-Ahola was very helpful and open to students, and definitely enjoys getting to know everyone. He has been a reference for me in the past, and has also been willing to write recommendations even though I am not a Kinesiology major. If you are in Honors, and are interested in learning about golf, take this class. I enjoyed every bit of it.