Kaitlyn Kupiec
@kaitlynkupiec
PGA Professional Joe Eadie has led the Springfield College men’s golf team for over 30 years. He won the 1997 Kinny Open and coached the team to multiple championships and national tournaments. Eadie’s leadership earned him the 2023 MASCAC Men’s Golf Coach of the Year. This honor followed his 2021 MASCAC Coach of the Year award when he guided Springfield to a runner-up finish in the championship. In 2019, he led the program to a victory in the inaugural MASCAC Championship, also earning Coach of the Year recognition. His earlier successes include being named NECC Coach of the Year in 2018 after securing a conference title and leading Springfield to the NCAA Championships for the first time in program history in 2012. That same year, he was honored with the prestigious Gordon McCullough Award at the New England Championships.
The Springfield Student sat down with Coach Eadie to learn more about his life on and off the golf course.
Student: What inspired you to pursue a career in coaching golf?
Eadie: I love the game.
Student: What was it like golfing with President George W. Bush and 1997 PGA champion Davis Love III?
Eadie: It was pretty cool. I never realized what it would be until years later. I realized that he’s the president of the United States, which is a pretty big deal. At the same time [I golfed with Bush], I worked for Philip Morris, where President Bush was a guest speaker, and Davis Love III was playing with President Bush, and I was working for PGA at that time. They just needed somebody else that afternoon, and I went with them.
Student: Growing up, who was your favorite golfer?
Eadie: Greg Norman because he made a ton of birdies, and he was just fun to watch. He was a good golfer. Currently, I don’t follow golf that much on TV anymore, so Greg is still my guy.
Student: If you were to play professionally in another sport, what sport would it be?
Eadie: Baseball was my first love. I played it in high school.
Student: What is your go-to snack on the golf course?
Eadie: Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I love them, or a banana.
Student: What is a hobby you enjoy outside of golf?
Eadie: I like fishing, but I really enjoy spending time with my kids.
Student: What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
Eadie: I’ve received a ton of advice over the course of my lifetime, but my old boss once told me that he’s never heard any parent say they spend too much time with their kids. Even I’ve never heard a parent say they spend too much time with their kids.
Photo courtesy of Springfield College Athletics