Some of the greatest players had successful college golf careers, including Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Annika Sorenstam.
Those early days undoubtedly laid the foundations for their success, and a crucial element of their formative years in college was the coach entrusted with harnessing their raw potential.
But who are the greatest college golf coaches of all time? Several have had careers that stand out from the crowd.
Eddie Merrins – UCLA
Eddie Merrins turned from PGA Tour pro to coach
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To say Eddie Merrins had a long and distinguished career in the game would be an understatement.
The Little Pro, as he was known, passed away in 2023 at the age of 91, but not before making over 200 appearances as a player on the PGA Tour, becoming a coach to Hollywood stars, and later of the UCLA men’s college golf team, where he coached 16 All-Americans and led the team to the 1988 NCAA Division I Championship.
Jesse Haddock – Wake Forest
Haddock, who passed away in 2018, had a 32-year career at Wake Forest, leading the Deacons to three national titles and 15 ACC titles along the way.
That included the teams of 1974 and 1975, when Wake Forest produced arguably the greatest college golf team of all time, with the likes of Curtis Strange and Jay Haas helping it to successive NCAA Division I Championship titles.
Mike Holder – Oklahoma State
Mike Holder coached Viktor Hovland
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Holder was the men’s golf coach at Oklahoma State Cowboys for 32 years between 1973 and 2005, where he became one of only four coaches in any sport in NCAA history to win a national championship in four different decades.
Overall, he led the team to eight national titles, 25 conference titles and coached 38 first-team All-Americans. He also produced future stars including Viktor Hovland, Rickie Fowler and Charles Howell III.
Buddy Alexander – University of Florida
Buddy Alexander nurtured the career of Camilo Villages, among others
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Alexander coached the Gators between 1988 and 2014, winning two NCAA Division I Championships, in 1993 and 2001. His teams also won 10 SEC championships, while his players claimed eight individual SEC Championship titles. He also produced numerous PGA Tour professionals, including Billy…
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