Episode Summary
Legendary college golf coach Mike Griffin shares stories from Troy and Auburn, including coaching elite players, building championship programs, and the lessons that shaped his career.
Full Show Notes
Coach Mike Griffin is one of the most respected names in college golf, with a career spanning decades at Troy and Auburn. In this episode, he shares the stories, decisions, and lessons that defined his journey—from small-town beginnings to building nationally competitive programs.
We get into what it takes to develop players at the highest level, the evolution of college golf, and behind-the-scenes stories involving players like Jason Duffner and Paul Azinger.
Coach Griffin also shares one of the most impactful moments of his career—winning a tournament but not being selected to advance—and how that experience shaped his philosophy as a coach.
This is a conversation about leadership, development, and what it really takes to build champions.
Chapters
- 00:00 Cold Open: “You weren’t supposed to win”
- 01:05 Introduction to Coach Mike Griffin
- 02:00 Early life and learning the game
- 07:30 College golf at Troy
- 12:45 The moment that shaped his coaching philosophy
- 17:00 From player to coach
- 21:00 Building a winning program at Troy
- 26:30 Recruiting and developing players
- 29:15 The Jason Duffner story
- 32:00 The Paul Azinger story
- 42:20 How college golf has changed
- 54:00 Auburn years and legacy
Tags (Transistor)
golf podcast, college golf, Auburn golf, Troy golf, Jason Duffner, Paul Azinger, golf coaching, sports leadership, golf stories, Cart Barn Podcast