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Wayne State University Athletics

Larry Hamilton

Larry Hamilton

UPDATED July 1, 2024
 
  • Led the program to its first ever appearance at the NCAA Finals (2023)
  • Directed the squad to its first ever GLIAC Stroke Play Title (2023)
  • Coached one WGCA All-Region performer (Beca Vestman in 2023)
  • Guided one GLIAC Championships Medalist (Maisarah Hezri in 2023)
  • Tutored one GLIAC Freshman of the Year (Sabel Imesch in 2023)
  • Mentored 11 All-GLIAC honorees (five First Team, four Second Team and two Honorable Mention) in three years (2022, 2023 and 2024)
  • Coached 13 GLIAC All-Academic Excellence Team honorees in three seasons (2022, 2023 and 2024)

Larry Hamilton was announced as the Wayne State University head women's golf coach in May of 2021, replacing the retiring Meredith Weaver.  He began his fourth year at WSU in the fall of 2024.

"I am extremely grateful to the hiring committee for believing in me and providing me the opportunity to become the next head coach of the women's golf program at Wayne State University," said Hamilton.  "Coach (Meredith) Weaver has done an incredible job building this program and has had it on an upward trajectory since day one.  I feel very fortunate to be able to step in at this time with this very talented group of players and build upon the foundation in place and help lead them to continued success." 

In his first year guiding the Warriors, Hamilton's squad placed third at the GLIAC Championships during the stroke play portion, then fell 3-2 in the semifinals to Northwood.  WSU qualified for the NCAA East Regional and finished eighth out of 15 schools with a 944 (321-310-313).

He had four players earn All-GLIAC honors as Avery Howard, Daniela Moreno and Beca Vestman were named to the All-GLIAC Second Team, with Grace Zimmerman being selected to the All-GLIAC Honorable Mention Team.  In addition, all six squad members received GLIAC All-Academic Excellence recognition.

For the 2021-22 academic year, the women's golf program ranked fourth nationally (among all three NCAA Divisions) with a team GPA of 3.892 per a release from the Women's Golf Coaches Association (WGCA).

In his second year (2022-23) at the helm of the Wayne State women's golf program, Hamilton led the Warriors to its first appearance in the NCAA finals after a fourth-place finish (out of 15 schools) at the NCAA East Regional.  WSU won the stroke play portion of the GLIAC Championships, before falling in the semifinals of match play. 

Vestman became the first WSU women's golfer in the nine-year history of the program to be selected All-Region by the WGCA.  Freshman Sabel Imesch was selected GLIAC Freshman of the Year as well as earning a spot on the All-GLIAC First Team.  Joining Imesch on the First Team were GLIAC medalist Maisarah Hezri and Vestman, with Howard garnering Second Team All-GLIAC recognition.

Academically, four members (Natalie Groom, Logan Potts, Howard and Vestman) of the 2022-23 squad earned WGCA Scholar All-American accolades.  All four golfers were also named to the GLIAC All-Academic Excellence Team as well as the College Sports Communicators (formerly CoSIDA) Academic All-District Team.

Prior to coming to WSU, he spent the previous 27 months (February of 2019 to May of 2021) as the head women's golf coach at the University of Detroit Mercy.

A former assistant coach for the men's and women's teams at Rochester College, he is currently the Director of Player Development for the Twin Lakes Golf Academy and the Cornerstone Golf Indoor Academy.

At the Twin Lakes Golf Academy, which he started in 2010, Hamilton created and implemented all new teaching and coaching programs for adults and junior golfers, while managing all aspects of marketing, website, sales and new business development.  He also started the Cornerstone Golf Indoor Academy in 2013, where he incorporated video and launched monitor technology into lessons. 

Hamilton was formerly the Head Golf Professional and Director of Instruction at the Oakland University Golf & Learning Center, where he managed golf operations for a facility with two 18-hole championship golf courses and created and implemented golf instruction curriculum for the new Golf Learning Center. 

His career has seen him work as a professional at the Twin Lakes Golf Club, Country Club of Detroit, Golf Digest Instructional Schools, Kalamazoo Country Club and Bonita Bay Club (Fla.). 

After graduating from college, he started traveling the country to work with and learn from some of the nation's top coaches and teachers in the likes of Bob Toski, Mike Adams, E.A. Tischler, Gale Peterson, Geoff Mangum and Jack Lumpkin.  

He is currently TrackMan Certified, a Gray Institute Golf Performance Specialist, Callaway Golf Certified Fitter, PuttingZone Certified Coach, Titleist Performance Institute Certified and Mitchell Golf Club Performance Fitting Certified.

Hamilton graduated from Western Michigan in 1991 with a bachelor of science in Physical Education.  After college, he competed on both mini-tour and PGA Club Professional level events.  As a member of the PGA of America Michigan Section, he still actively competes in state tournaments. 

Hamilton and his wife, Tanya, have two kids, Ella and Maxwell.
LARRY HAMILTON'S CAREER COACHING RECORD AT WSU
Year GLIAC NCAA East Regional NCAA Finals
2021-22 3rd 8th DNQ
2022-23* 1st* 4th 18th
2023-24 5th 13th DNQ
Total (3 Seasons) -- -- --


* Won GLIAC Stroke Play Championship