COLETTE HEADING FOR TOP OF US CLASS OF COLLEGE COACHES

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com

Leith-born, Dumfries-raised Colette Murray is fast becoming one of the most successful university women's head golf coach in the United States.

At the weekend, Colette's University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, won the team title in the JMU Eagle Landing Invitational women's college tournament at Orange Park, Florida by a massive 33 strokes from the runners-up.

And two foreign-born students she recruited herself, Christine Wolf and Emma de Groot, finished first and second in the individual standings.

"It was a truly great day. I was so proud of my wee lassies," said Colette.

"I think that was the10th team win and seventh individual title since I became UTC women's head coach four years ago," said Colette who was hired to start from scratch and recruit a team when the university decided to introduce a women's golf programme.
"Losing Emma de Groot and Christine Wolf at the end of the college year will be a tremendous loss. Our program has been built around them, and they have led this team both on and off the golf course.
"This is a truly special group. I am a very lucky and blessed golf coach."
There is an even chance that Colette will return to Scotland this summer on a talent-spotting mission to find successors for Emma and Christine at the British girls' open championship over Gullane No 1 course from August 8 to 12.
"I'll be home in Scotland at the end of May for my niece's christening (i'm the Godmother) so getting back twice to go to the British girls will be difficult.
"I played four years for Jacksonville State University in college tournaments, then graduated and stayed on at JSU on the women's golf team's coaching staff for another year and a half.
"I got the UTC job and built the program from scratch ... no office, no phone, no computer when I got there. Used the first year to get my bearings, raise money and make contacts in and around town. Also used that year to get some good players in .... Emma and Christine. I started this program with them as freshmen and they are done in May. I can't believe their time is almost over ... it makes me sad.
"Born in Leith, raised in Dumfries but my family is from Glasgow. Pretty much that's it in a nutshell.
"Tennessee-Chattanooga are currently ranked 29th on Golfweek but Golfstat will come out on Wednesday, so we'll see where we are after that. Regards to everybody who knows me in Scotland."
Colette Murray

+Colette Murray is not the only Scot who is a women's head golf coach at an American college. Anne Walker from Strathaven performs a similar role at the University of California-Davis and her team scored a recent victory. A third Scot, Kathryn Imrie, is assistant women's golf coach at Stanford University, California.