The men’s CU golf program took a big step forward by hiring a new head coach for the newly opened 2006-2007 season.
University of Colorado Athletic Director Mike Bohn announced that Roy Edwards would be the new men’s head golf coach on July 14, 2006.
Edwards is 29, which seems young for a head coach, but he is actually the oldest golf coach CU has had when starting his tenure. Former men’s Head Coach Mark Simpson was 27 when he took the position and before him Les Fowler was hired at 23.
CU’s new coach is best described as laid back, well spoken and compassionate. His love and understanding of golf has brought him many friends such as the former golf Coach Mark Simpson.
Edwards replaces Simpson, who passed away December 5, 2005, due to complications with lung cancer at the age of 55. Simpson was the CU men’s head golf coach for 29 years and is considered to be a golf legend at CU. Simpson took over for former Head Coach Les Fowler in 1977. Fowler also worked as head coach for 29 years.
“Those guys gave their lives to this program and that tells you that CU is a special place. Now it’s my job to honor their legacies and the history of those two guys,” Edwards said.
Edwards becomes only the third full-time head golf coach in the program’s 59-year history and has high expectations of the program as well as for himself. He came from the University of Kansas, his alma mater, where he was an assistant coach for both the men and women’s golf teams for the past four years. He also worked for a year as an assistant coach at Vanderbilt University before returning to KU.
“I think the best thing about Colorado is the community, but the weather is great too,” jokes Edwards. “It’s definitely better than it was in Lawrence and it’s very similar to how it is in Nashville in the winter time.”
As carefree as Edwards might seem on the outside, he is determined to make Colorado’s golf program better. He said he plans to do this with recruiting and lots of time and energy spent on helping his players both in and outside of the classroom.
“When the kids get here they have a lot of talent, and we’re trying to fine tune that,” Edwards said. “We’re not trying to reconstruct their game, but rather build on that talent. By doing that it makes each player better, and if we make each player better then we can certainly make the team better.”
This approach seems to be working with his players as men’s golfer Patrick Grady was announced as CU’s athlete of the week. Moreover, in the men’s first tournament this season the Buffaloes had three individuals finish in the top 13 in the Rich Harvest Farms Intercollegiate.
Only time will tell how Edwards career at CU will pan out, but the immediate results look promising. Don’t be surprised if in 29 years there is another CU golf legend on campus.
