A Season of Firsts
Meet Women’s Golf Coach Emily Kuhfeld
This fall, approximately eight female students will have the opportunity to make Georgia Southern history by playing on the Eagle’s first ever Women’s Golf Team. Leading the way is Indianapolis native Emily Kuhfeld. After an international search for the best female golfers in the world, Kuhfeld is gearing up for a season of firsts and we caught up with her between recruits. At age 12, she knew golfing was her calling. Get to know her in our Q&A.
You are Georgia Southern University’s first woman golf coach. What does that mean to you? When I got the call and they offered me the job, I felt like it was the opportunity of a lifetime. I’ve always wanted that challenge to be the very first somewhere and to able to create my vision from scratch. Georgia Southern has everything in place for this program to take off. So, it was just the right fit on so many levels. The opportunity to be the first women’s golf coach made it stand out from other job offers I’d had. Not many coaches in their career have the opportunity to say they were the first somewhere. I really like that about this opportunity.
How do you think being female will help you lead the team? All my coaching experiences have been with females. I’ve never had that other side. My college coach was a female and I worked for a female in my last job. It might be a little easier for the players to relate to me on a personal level. I know there are great male coaches at this level too, but I definitely look at it as an advantage when recruiting. Maybe initially the players will feel a little bit more comfortable with me and my smaller stature. I hope they feel more comfortable with me off the bat. At 5’2, I’m usually the shortest one on the team.
What would you say the biggest difference is in the way guys and girls play the game? Both can learn a lot from each other. Typically, men are way more creative around the green than women—from 100 yards and in. They have more shots. I think when guys practice, they’re more open to trying new shots, whereas girls sometimes just want to learn that one shot and know that it’s going to work. Obviously, our men’s team is really strong here. I want my girls to learn from them.
What are you looking for in players as you recruit the first Women’s Eagle Golf Team? I’m definitely looking for some specific qualities. I want the best talent that I can possibly get, girls who are excited to come here and be a part of the first women’s program, excited to attend Georgia Southern, those who are ready to put that hat on from day one. I’m looking for some good junior golf experience, but also just as people, I want solid students – girls who will take care of business in the classroom, girls who take this seriously, that want to be part of something special – a competitive, great program. That challenge isn’t for everybody, but that’s okay. I want the girls who want to be pushed, who push themselves and each other with a competitive, fun spirit.
You have an impressive background in the golf world both as a player and a coach. What drives your passion for the sport? I always wanted to be a professional golfer growing up. It’s very competitive and a lot of work. I let go of the dream for a while and that was tough, but then I got into teaching and coaching. I knew that I’d found something I really loved. I had such a great college experience myself, and it’s really fun to try my best to give back to student athletes.
What are your goals for the 2015-‘16 season? I want the best team I can possibly get. I want to start a great program here. I think every coach would say, ‘We want to go to conference, we want to go to Nationals, etc.’ but my greatest goal is to start something really special here that new recruits want to be a part of, to start a successful program and build the building blocks for that. Then, help my players get better every single day. If I can do those two things, everything else will definitely follow.
What do you enjoy most about coaching? The relationships are great. The competition is a lot of fun for me. I enjoy watching the players grow and get better. Not just when they have a great round, but as people, it’s really fun to watch them grow and mature over the four years. I have really great relationships with my players that I’ve coached in the past. It’s very rewarding.
Were you interested in golf as a child? What turned you on to the game? I was an athletic kid. I wanted to play every sport. My dad was actually a tennis pro. For me, golf and tennis were neck to neck for a while and my dad told me I needed to pick one. I really loved golf. The solitary aspect of it, being out in nature. Once I picked golf that night as a twelve-year-old, it was about working toward that goal.
Who are your golf heroes? Definitely Jack Nicklaus. I met him once at Ohio State. That was awesome. Bobby Jones is definitely from a different era, but I really admire his career. His golf swing was really beautiful. On the women’s side, Juli Inkster. She’s raised a family of three kids and has a successful marriage, and is still on tour competing. How she’s done that and still been able to play for 20 odd years, that’s pretty impressive.
What’s the most famous golf tournament you’ve attended or played in? I played in the US Girls Junior Championship in Maryland when I was 17. I’ve also been to the US Open at Pinehurst in North Carolina, and I’ve attended the Masters Golf Tournament in Augusta, Georgia before.
What do you think of Statesboro and the Georgia Southern family so far? I really like it here already. When I’m recruiting out in California somewhere, I find myself thinking, ‘I’m ready to get back there!’ I’m looking forward to getting a team together. Once that happens, I can slow down a little bit and really enjoy the area.
Learn more about Kuhfeld by visiting GSEagles.com.
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