Oct. 23, 2007
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Greg Allen is in his first year at Vanderbilt after serving as head coach at Arizona from 2000 to 2007. At Arizona, Allen led the Wildcats to two Pac-10 titles and an NCAA runner-up finish in 2002. He also coached 10 All-Americans, including current LPGA star Lorena Ochoa.
Why did you ultimately decide VU was the place for you? It really came down to my family and getting my children back to the southeast where my wife and I grew up. Being around our family was really important to us. Once I got here for the interview and started to meet people and really learn about the university and Vanderbilt athletics, it made the decision pretty easy.
What was the hardest part about leaving Arizona? The relationships that were built with the team and people at the University of Arizona. It was home for seven years and having to say goodbye is never easy. The relationship I had with our team was pretty special, and it is one that I hope I can have with this team.
Did you know you wanted to be a golf coach when you were younger? No. I was a huge basketball fan growing up. Basketball was the sport that I always thought would be my life.
How did you get into coaching? I got involved in golf working with the American Junior Golf Association from an operations standpoint. John Fields at Texas hired me and realized that me working at the AJGA tied in well with the junior golfers because so much of what we do is about recruiting, and he took a chance on me.
What is the best advice a coach ever gave you? “Sometimes the best things you do for golfers is just get out of their way.” – legendary Texas golf coach George Hannon
What is more difficult to coach in golf – the mental part of the game or the physical part? Mental
