Conference USA

Conference USA Head Coaches Hit The Links

We asked the Conference USA head coaches which fellow HC they would take on a dream golfing trip.

By Emily Van Buskirk@Emilnem Aug 2, 2022, 1:00pm EDT

It started with a text.

After reaching out to one Conference USA head coach about meeting up in Arlington, Texas during conference media day, I was given a glimpse into the world of unlikely friendships between head coaches.

These men that stand on opposite sides of the field week in and week out trying to destroy each other actually hang out in the offseason? How? Why?

I needed answers. So, I spent some time at Globe Life Field in search of the conference’s head coach golf pairings you’ve never heard of.

The Question

If you were granted your dream golf trip on the course of your choice and had to bring a fellow Conference USA head coach with you, who would it be and why?

Will Healy, Charlotte

“You’re trying to make enemies here aren’t you? I unfortunately have the charity case of having to play with Seth Littrell once a year. So I have to say Seth because Skip Holtz and Seth and I have an annual Boondoggle event that is televised on ESPN the Ocho, if y’all would like to tune in – it’s heavily followed by the Golf channel. So I actually do that with Seth every year but really just write it off as a charitable contribution.”

Mike MacIntyre, FIU

“I would like to play Augusta.”

Brief pause here because Coach Mac told me the most amazing story set in 1981-82 and it deserves its own moment.

When Coach Mac’s dad George MacIntyre was in his second year as head coach at Vanderbilt in 1980, he only won two games. The next year, a Vanderbilt booster with a green jacket told Papa Mac that if he doubled his record, he would let them play Augusta for a day. Vanderbilt went 4-7 overall with a big win at Ole Miss. So the booster took Coach MacIntrye and his staff to play Augusta for a day. The booster then told MacIntyre if he doubles his record the next year, he will bring them back for a whole weekend.

“They doubled it and won eight games the next year so they went for the whole weekend. So, my dad always talked about playing Augusta. So, I’d like to play Augusta.”

(Vanderbilt went 8-4, 4-2 in the SEC in 1982 with wins over No. 14 Florida, Ole Miss, at Kentucky and Tennessee.)

“I would take Will Healy because he’s the best golfer of all the people in Conference USA from what I understand – yeah, he can hit it. So, I’d take Will Healy.”

Sonny Cumbie, Louisiana Tech

“Rick Stockstill. It would be so entertaining. Like, it’s going to be bad golf so at least we would be entertained because he’s funny. I don’t think it would get that competitive because I’m not very good, I just want to play and enjoy the beauty of the course. And I Probably would pick Augusta.”

Rick Stockstill, Middle Tennessee

“If I was to play golf with any head coach in Conference USA I would want to play with Seth Littrell and the reason I would like to play with Seth – he’s a lot better golfer than me, he’s really good. But he and I enjoy drinking the same beverage so I would get along very well with Seth and I don’t feel like Seth would coach me on every swing. He would let me be and we would have a good time together.”

Seth Littrell, North Texas

“Will Healy. Me, Will and Skip we take golf trips. Will’s good, I think he’s like a 2 or a 3. And I would probably pick Pebble because its Iconic. But my favorite is Spyglass. I’m definitely a lodge person.”

Mike Bloomgren, Rice

“100 percent Rick Stockstill. He’s the best person and coach in our league.”

Jeff Traylor, UTSA

“Wow. That’s fun. I would go to Augusta for sure and I’d bring Stock with me. Just cause he’s so chill, so cool, so fun. I’m sure he would know everybody. So we would get a bunch of hook ups I would imagine.”

“Probably back-up would be Seth Littrell just because he would be so much fun. I don’t know if we would ever make it to the golf course. I’d go with Stock, with a backup of Seth Littrell. Stock might tap out on me, who knows.”

Tyson Helton, Western Kentucky

“Been to Pebble Beach, played all three courses. Pebble is my favorite, but I like Spyglass - it’s really tough.”

“I had a chance last year to Birdie 18 on Pebble. Off the tee box I went to the left side of the tree in the fairway, crushed it. Second shot, went a little right in the high grass rough area and then hit a beautiful shot right there on the green and had about a 15-footer and missed it. It was awful. My caddie said “coach that’s the best shot I’ve seen all year” and I said yeah I did it on purpose.’ And I’m a bad golfer, let me start with that. I’m like an 18-20 handicap. So that was kind of my favorite hole.”

“I’m gonna take Seth Littrell just because we’ve played Pebble together and I might have a chance. So, I’ll go with Seth.”

I had to ask Coach Helton who was a better golfer, him or his brother: Georgia Southern, head coach Clay Helton. He chuckled and shook his head, but humored me.

“Clay’s a lot better than me. He’s is probably a 10 maybe and he never really gets to play. To be honest with you, I hadn’t picked up the clubs one time this year. Clay only gets to play maybe 10 rounds and he’s usually dead-on right from the get. He’s pretty good.”