Georgia College & State University Director of Athletics Wendell Staton recently announced Ben English as the new Bobcat golf coach.
English comes to Milledgeville after working since 2008 with Next Level Golf, a college recruiting service that he eventually purchased to focus the company on performance coaching in competitive golf.
“We are thrilled that Ben English will be leading our golf program,” Staton said. “He is committed to the GCSU model of holistic excellence and will lead our student-athletes to be their best academically, socially, and athletically.
“I absolutely love his mental approach to the game, and this will have a very positive and immediate impact on our student-athletes. His knowledge of the golf swing and all phases of player development, coupled with his deep dive into the mental side of competition, is going to make our golfers better every single day.”
English brings to GCSU a lifelong love for competitive golf and player development. As a performance coach and father of PGA golfer Ben English Jr., he has previously coached more than 70 players to college scholarships.
At Next Level Golf, English helped junior and college players — and their parents — to focus on understanding the process to optimize their journey on and off the golf course. He has been involved in competitive golf at every level from caddying amateur and professional events to working with some of the top sports psychologists in the game and helping juniors get started in the competitive game.
English learned from some of the best teachers in the game, including Jack Lumpkin, Blake Adams, Mark Blackburn, Roger Cleveland, Stan Utley, Harvey Penick, Justin Parsons, and Dave Stockton. He also studied the mental game of golf with sports psychologists Dr. David Cook and Dr. Gio Valiante.
“I have been very blessed in my life to learn teaching the competitive game of golf,” English said.
Staton said English’s recruiting contacts throughout Georgia, nationwide, and internationally will greatly enhance GCSU’s talent pool. He expects an influx of talent to increase the competitive drive within the Bobcats golf team and make everyone a better golfer.
“During his campus visit, Ben established an immediate connection with our student-athletes, staff, and members of our campus community,” Staton said. “He is eager to engage our alumni and community, and I am so pleased with how excited he is to be here.”
English was born and raised in Sandersville and graduated from Brentwood School in 1974. He played basketball as a freshman at the University of Georgia, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in agriculture. English served as vice president at Ralston Purina in St. Louis, as well as vice president of Commodities at J.C. Bradford Company, and previously owned The English Corporation and Georgia Cotton Company.
“Ben has known nothing but success as an entrepreneur, as a junior golf coach, and as a professional golf coach.
He has a very unique perspective and set of experiences that are quite rare,” Staton pointed out. “He has been the parent and coach of a Ryder Cup team member and PGA Tour winner. He has seen the game, competition, player development, and recruiting from all sides.
“He has been intimately involved with golf from the junior level all the way to the best players in the world. These experiences are unique and will help lift our program to greater heights. I am confident that under the leadership of Ben English, our golf program will return to national relevance.”
English said he feels “very fortunate” to be able to help make a difference with young athletes, not only in golf but in their lives.
“GCSU has given me an opportunity to do that, and I can't wait to see the results,” he said. “The enthusiasm and commitment to being one’s best permeates this campus.”
– Contributed