Austin Reynolds stepped into a new role in August, taking over as head coach of the Dordt University men's and women's golf programs after serving as an assistant coach for the Defenders.

Full Interview

The transition has provided Reynolds an opportunity to build on what he learned during his first year at Dordt while continuing to develop student-athletes both on the golf course and in their faith. With the fall season nearing its conclusion, Reynolds has seen encouraging signs from both teams and believes there is plenty of potential for continued growth.

"It's been really great," Reynolds said of the transition to head coach. "I've learned a lot from Jon (Crane) and Karrie (Van Ravenswaay) over the last year or so. They're great people to work with."

Reynolds pointed to Jon's extensive experience in the golf industry, teaching and coaching, along with Karrie's background as a collegiate golfer, as valuable resources during his transition into leadership of the programs.

Reynolds and his wife moved to the Sioux Center area from Des Moines when he accepted the opportunity to work at The Ridge Golf Club while also serving as an assistant coach at Dordt. The combination was an appealing fit for Reynolds, who has long enjoyed playing golf, competing at a high level and teaching others how to improve their games.

"I was always looking for some sort of opportunity to get into the coaching atmosphere, but also the teaching atmosphere," Reynolds said.

The position at The Ridge and Dordt allowed him to pursue both interests, creating an opportunity that he describes as a dream come true.

"God has blessed us with opportunities that we probably don't really deserve, but I've been given those opportunities, and it's been awesome so far," Reynolds said.

When the opportunity to become head coach arose, Reynolds saw the chance to expand his impact beyond golf instruction and competition. His approach to coaching is rooted in the opportunity to help student-athletes grow in their faith while developing their abilities.

"I want to make people better at golf, but I also want to continue and encourage them in their relationship with Christ," Reynolds said. "Seeing golf as just an opportunity to glorify God through the abilities that we've been given—that was a big part of what
I grew up in."

That perspective shapes his vision for the programs as he works to help Dordt golfers improve their skills, compete at a high level and grow in their relationship with Christ.

The Dordt women's golf team features several new faces and a young roster, creating an opportunity to establish a strong team culture early in the season.

Reynolds has been encouraged by the team's development through the opening weeks of competition and believes the group has significant potential.

"There's obviously a lot of new faces on the team, but that also kind of helps in terms of building a new culture," Reynolds said. "I feel like continuing to build a team atmosphere has been big for our team."

Although golf is largely an individual sport, Reynolds believes the team's ability to support one another can make a meaningful difference in competition. He has seen the women connect well as teammates, encouraging one another while working toward their individual goals.

"I think they've all been connecting well with each other, and so that's why I think they're playing well as a team," he said.

With the fall schedule providing a break between tournaments before the Defenders return to competition in Kansas City, Reynolds is emphasizing the fundamentals that can help the women continue to improve. Rather than making major changes to their swings during the competitive season, the focus is on shot selection, preparation and scoring.

Reynolds wants his golfers to develop a consistent process before every shot and concentrate on executing one shot at a time.

"It's more valuable than kind of looking for a score that you're trying to shoot for," he said.

Practice sessions emphasize scoring situations, including hitting fairways, getting the ball onto the green and giving themselves opportunities to make par. The objective is straightforward: put the ball in play, find the middle of the green and avoid unnecessary mistakes.

The Dordt men's team entered the fall with momentum after showing promise late in the previous season. Through the first portion of the current campaign, Reynolds has seen the group take positive steps, particularly in its ability to manage difficult stretches of a round.

The biggest improvement has been consistency.

"They have been a lot more consistent," Reynolds said. "We're not really kicking ourselves out of the golf tournament. We're actually kind of keeping those scores at bay, especially the bad holes."

Limiting mistakes can be the difference between a solid round and one that gets away. Reynolds has emphasized the importance of avoiding big numbers and making smart decisions when a golfer finds himself in a difficult position.

A bogey instead of a double bogey can help keep a round on track, while a recovery shot that returns the ball to a manageable position can prevent one mistake from becoming several.

"If you put yourself in a bad position, don't put yourself in another bad position," Reynolds said.

The approach requires patience and discipline, particularly when a golfer is not striking the ball as well as he would like. Reynolds believes the men's team is improving in those situations, and he sees continued progress in the small details that can produce lower scores.

The next step is to keep refining those habits and translate that consistency into even better results.

The Defenders recently competed at Deer Run Golf Course in Silvis, Illinois, where the challenge of playing a demanding course tested the team in multiple ways.

Reynolds acknowledged that the men got off to a difficult start during the opening nine holes on Monday. However, he was encouraged by the response as the golfers worked their way back into the round.

Playing a course associated with high-level professional competition can create an additional mental challenge for collegiate golfers. The setting can make players question their ability, even before they have completed the first few holes.

Reynolds believes learning to manage those thoughts is an important part of development.

He was pleased with the way the Defenders responded after the slow start and worked to remain competitive. He also noted the mental discipline required to stay composed when shots are not going as planned.

"There's still some different things that we need to work on," Reynolds said. "But obviously, if you can keep your scores down, especially when you're not hitting it your best, that's a big part of it."

The experience reinforced a lesson that Reynolds wants his players to carry into every tournament: improvement comes through challenges as well as successes.

"You also have to have struggles to continue to improve," he said.

While the fall season provides valuable competitive experience, the Defenders ultimately are working toward the GPAC championships in the spring.

Reynolds views each round, practice session and difficult stretch as another opportunity to prepare for that championship test. The goal is not simply to produce a particular score in the next tournament but to develop the habits that will help the team perform when the conference title is at stake.

"It's one shot at a time," Reynolds said. "It's not one tournament at a time."