EUGENE, Ore. – Bushnell University Director of Golf and Men’s Head Coach Larry Watts has announced that he will step down from the Beacons.
Watts has been with Bushnell for seven seasons, taking over the reigns during the 2019-2020 campaign. In the spring of 2021, in just his second season leading the Beacons, the men's team secured their first-ever CCC Regular Season Championship.
“I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to have coached the Beacons for the past six and a half years and to have been part of the Bushnell community while supporting the athletic department mission,” said Watts. “I wish to thank Corey Anderson and the Bushnell staff for their support, prayers, and leadership, and our players and families for their support. I will always look back fondly on my time working with the student-athletes and staff and I am proud of the progress we have made. I wish the golf program all the best moving forward.”
Well known for his relational approach to educational coaching, Watts has been a strong leader within Bushnell’s Tri-Athlete framework, stressing the importance of servant leadership and playing with faith.
Through Watts vision and his relationships with both Pine Ridge Golf Course and some key donors, Bushnell was able to open the Golf Player Development Center this past fall, a one-of-a-kind golf training facility exclusively for Beacon men’s and women’s golfers at Pine Ridge.
Athletic Director Corey Anderson said, “Coach Watts has been an invaluable asset to Bushnell Golf, our student-athletes, and to me personally over the past six and a half years. On a personal level, dating back to our time at Marist Catholic and Junction City, his mentorship, friendship, and the time we’ve shared have been truly meaningful, and I am deeply grateful.
“I had the privilege of recruiting Larry on multiple occasions before he joined Bushnell in 2019, and his impact has far exceeded expectations. His passion for teaching the game of golf, his strong faith, and his distinctive approach have created a powerful and lasting influence on our program. Countless student-athletes have benefited from his dedication and guidance.
“Larry’s ability to build genuine relationships and positively shape the lives of those around him will leave a lasting legacy within our program for years to come. We thank him for his tremendous contributions and wish him continued success, both on and off the course, with plenty of straight drives, pin-high approaches, and tap-in birdies ahead.”
During his tenure, Watts recruited and coached six All-Cascade Collegiate Conference performers, including back-to-back CCC Tournament medalists in Andrew Webb (2022) and Caden Stubbs (2023).
“Coach Larry was a lot more than a coach to me,” said Stubbs. “His mentorship helped me grow and navigate life, relationships, school, and golf. Coach taught me patience and the importance of being present. His impact on my life will last forever and he will always be a great friend to me.”
Webb added, “To this day, four years removed from my time at Bushnell, there have been many people that I have come across that have heard of Coach Larry. He was a true coach that not only prepared me for golf tournaments but also gave me honesty that I needed to be prepared for life. More importantly, he worked and prayed that God would find and guide me wherever I was at. Coach spoke of the mysteries of the game of golf that God reveals to us in His time and this perspective has carried into my daily life. I only had two years under Larry's leadership, but gained a life's worth of wisdom and a friend for life.”
A search is currently in progress for new leadership for the Bushnell golf program. Interested parties are encouraged to reach out to Athletic Director Corey Anderson (canderson@bushnell.edu).