Washington Golf

When a young coach is asked to take the reigns of a developing program and elevate it to an elite level, it is a daunting proposition.

But, when Washington hired Matt Thurmond to lead its men’s golf team, the coach was determined to transform an intimidating situation into a power program.

“One thing about me, I love to win,” Thurmond said. “Everything in my mind goes to: How am I going to find a way to win?”

He started looking for an angle. He wanted to find the one thing that would make the Huskies more attractive than some of the nation’s perennial powers.

Early on, though, he was met with frustration.

“All the angles I found to approach recruits, there was always someone recruiting them who was better at that,” he said.

Some schools had better weather, while others had better facilities or a more established tradition.

Then Thurmond found the formula. He realized, “We need to change the game. We were fighting a battle on their terms and that’s not going to work.”

A young guy with a lot of energy, Thurmond decided to create a culture that couldn’t be duplicated anywhere else in the country.

“I’m going to be a coach who is unlike anybody else,” he decided. “I’m going to put more effort and energy into these guys. I’m going to love them more. I’m going to create a more fun and cool atmosphere than anybody can.”

Now just try and spend as much time on the phone, talking or texting with players past and present as Thurmond does.

Good luck.

“I just wanted to have the ultimate player-coach relationship,” he said. “I wanted to have the coolest atmosphere. I really focused on what’s going to happen when you’re not playing golf.”

“I’m going to be a coach who is unlike anybody else. I’m going to put more effort and energy into these guys. I’m going to love them more. I’m going to create a more fun and cool atmosphere than anybody can.”

Time passed. Thurmond’s philosophy worked.

Over the past 14 years, the Huskies have won three Pac-12 titles, finishing in the top five 10 times. Washington has also won three regional championships during that period, advancing to the NCAA championships in all but two seasons under Thurmond.

The program has produced three Ben Hogan Award finalists – Chris Williams won the award in 2013, Nick Taylor won in 2010 and Cheng-Tsung Pan, a finalist this year, became the award’s first four-time semifinalist – developing a group that has gone on to play on the PGA Tour, Web.com Tour, PGA Tour Canada and the Asian Tour.

“They are, without a doubt, over the last 15 years, one of the most consistently dominant and successful college teams in the country,” said OD Vincent, who hired Thurmond at Washington and is now the executive director of the PGA Tour Northern Trust Open. “You compare that to every other program and you are going to be hard-pressed to find five teams in the country that have more sustained success.”

As far as Vincent is concerned, Washington’s success starts and stops with Thurmond.

“I just don’t think you can find anybody in any sport that’s a better fit than Matt Thurmond at Washington,” Vincent said. “I believe that strongly. He exudes everything that Huskies and Husky fans value and appreciate.

“He has so much enthusiasm. He’s so competitive. He’s very uniquely his own man.”

It is Thurmond’s ability to lead his program in a fashion that unique to his personality that facilitates success. The Huskies have been built around a fun-first atmosphere since the coach took over.

“We’ve always been kind of a laid back program and that’s part of the reason we’ve always played well,” said Brock Mackenzie, who competed at Washington from 2000-04. “We’ve always had fun. Talking to guys from other schools, our team always seemed to be outside the box.”

When the Huskies travel to Hawaii, they often spend as much time playing football on the beach as they do on a golf course.

“What separates coach Thurmond and the Husky golf program is how much fun Thurmond brings to each practice, team meeting and golf tournament,” said Nick Taylor, who graduated in 2010. “It loosens up the environment for everyone and brings us all together, which makes our team bond stronger than every other program.”

But, while Washington has fun, the competition is intense.

“Matt’s competitive spirit has always been something I loved to be around,” Taylor said. “It pushed me to be better. He hated to lose more than anyone and it rubbed off on us all. We keep fighting until the very last shot, no matter what.”

If the Huskies are playing a pick-up basketball game, Thurmond is throwing elbows in the post. If it’s flag football, Thurmond wants to win.

With a program based in Seattle, Washington’s coach understands there is more to life than golf. He recruits a caliber of player who is willing to work, while understanding the value of the college experience.

“Our approach really resonates with a certain type of recruit who wants more than just golf every day,” Thurmond said.

The culture created at Washington has led to the Huskies’ top talent staying in school for four years. Each one of the program’s All-Americans exhausted their eligibility.

“It’s the relationship the players have with their coaches, the love their coaches have for the players and how they serve them,” Thurmond said.

The camaraderie creates a feeling of “being a part of something bigger than yourself,” he said.

It’s a powerful concept.

“Not only did playing for the Washington men’s golf program help me succeed and prepare for my career on the PGA Tour, but it also gave me the opportunity to create lifelong relationships with my teammates and coaches,” said Alex Prugh, who was at Washington from 2003-07. “Coach Thurmond created a special environment that made you feel more than just a part of a team, he made it a family.”

Over the past 14 years, Thurmond has built a program that is as fun as it is successful. He develops strong students who are good, often great, golfers. He places as much emphasis on the college experience as he does competing for a national championship.

Thurmond has built an elite program in a region not known for great golf. There was a time when the weather worked against the Huskies as they recruited top talent. These days, though, Washington’s track record of developing great golfers has turned the weather into a recruiting advantage.

When a prospect asks about the weather, Thurmond points to program’s record against schools that play in the sun year-round.

“Do you think it’s holding us back?” he asks.

Washington’s golfers have gotten to the point where they understand how learning to play in adverse conditions helps to grow their game. Now recruits look at heading to the Northwest so they can become a more complete player.

“The air is so heavy here the ball doesn’t go anywhere,” Thurmond said.

Those who golf in the Northwest routinely have to hit longer shots than those who play in warmer climates and, well, longer shots are harder shots. To find success, it is necessary to hit the ball crisp and clean all year.

“You can’t get away with being mediocre with your ball striking or you’ll just get killed here,” Thurmond said. “You get better without even knowing it. We’ve had elite ball strikers who, from tee to green, are the best in college.”

Over the past 14 years, Thurmond has built a program that is as fun as it is successful. He develops strong students who are good, often great, golfers. He places as much emphasis on the college experience as he does competing for a national championship.

He believes a confident and relaxed golfer will be able to find success at the highest level. He understands that a well-rounded standout can win a national championship, and that is the goal – win while having more fun than anyone else.

“The standard has risen at the University of Washington,” Mackenzie said. “It could happen soon that we’re national champions. Matt is a huge reason that has been possible.”