The men’s and women’s golf seasons officially started Aug. 23 with a new coaching staff. Scott Ferguson has taken the position of head coach of both teams with Coach Joe Crouse as the assistant. Both are new to coaching but have been playing golf as a hobby for years.
Ferguson has been passionate about golf for years and looks forward to what he can bring to the team to help them.
“I am honored to be given an opportunity to coach college golf, especially at a place like Asbury,” said Ferguson. “I think we have a great foundation and I’m looking forward to building on it.”
There are many hopes Ferguson has for the future of the golf teams and recruiting is a crucial step for it.
“I think we have to grow slowly and get very specific building blocks along the way, but I think the way that you grow programs is through the people and so if we recruit really well and we recruit the right people then I think the program’s success will take care of itself,” said Ferguson.
While golf is obviously an emphasis, Ferguson wants his golfers to be students first and athletes second. He also desires to help them grow in their Christian faith.
“I want to help build up young people not necessarily from a golf approach but from a life approach,” said Ferguson.
After meeting with the new coach and hearing his thoughts, the golfers look forward to what he brings to the team, including his experience in ministry as he currently works at Southland Christian Church in Lexington, Kentucky.
“I love Coach and his thoughts on statistics are going to be great,” said Sophomore Noah Gould. “As far as his pastoral job at Southland, that’s going to be a great help to our team.”
Senior Faith Wiley agreed. “I think the new coach is a good start for the team this year, kind of like a new take on the way that the golf program is going,” she said. “I think he’s going to be a great fit. He’s going to be very productive and proactive. I think with practice he’s going to really work with us and make sure that we’re doing what we need to be doing and that we’re focused on golf during golf season.”
Already, Ferguson has implemented a new practice routine designed to target specific parts of each player’s game to help them improve and plans of focusing on the statistics to assist with this.
After being able to practice for a week and implement the new coaches and styles into their routine, the teams will compete for the first time this season in a dual match against Brescia on Aug. 31.
