The Back of the Range

In this episode, Armen walks through exactly how you take a program from 81st in the country to a top-two national finish in four years — the recruiting philosophy, the culture shifts, and the belief system he had to install before the results ever showed up. We talk about what it took to build match-play mental toughness into a young roster, what it meant to develop a true program identity at a school with UCLA's history and expectations, and how the lessons from smaller programs like UTRGV shaped the coach he is today.

Armen Kirakossian - UCLA Men's Golf Coach**

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Voice Work by Mitch Phillips

College golf is changing fast, and Shauna Taylor is one of the few people who’s lived its evolution from every angle - elite player, head coach, recruiter, mentor, and Hall of Famer. If you care about what actually builds winning programs, this conversation will show you why the best teams are built on values, relationships, and the courage to adapt. Shauna Taylor, the head coach of Arkansas Women’s Golf, opens up about the team retreat that may have set the tone for her entire season - including two hole-in-ones, a course record, and a viral behind-the-scenes look at her players being exactly who they are. She explains how she uses values exercises to shape locker-room culture, and why player-led teams are often stronger than coach-led ones.

Taylor also shares the deeply personal side of her journey - from growing up in Orangeburg, South Carolina, to becoming a decorated Georgia star, to navigating a rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis that changed her path from pro golfer to coach. Her story is a reminder that the best leaders are often the ones who’ve had to rebuild their own definition of success. We also get into the future of women’s college golf: the rise of LEAP, the real value of education in the NIL era, and why Taylor believes programs must reward players fairly without losing sight of what makes college golf special. Along the way, she talks about the power of Arkansas’s home event, the Blessings Intercollegiate, the prestige of the Darius Rucker Intercollegiate, and what makes upcoming inaugural events like the Haskins tournament and the NANEA worth watching. Taylor’s Hall of Fame recognition, her habit of writing thank-you notes every morning, and her commitment to relationships over transactions make this episode a must-listen for coaches, college golf fans, and anyone who wants a masterclass in building something that lasts.

Shauna Taylor - Arkansas Women's Golf Coach

The Back of the Range - All Access

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Email us: ben@thebackoftherange.com

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Voice Work by Mitch Phillips

In this episode of The Back of the Range, Ben Adelberg sits down with Jonathan Moore, head coach of Oklahoma Men’s Golf, for a deep and wide-ranging conversation about leadership, player development, and the realities of building a championship program.

Jonathan Moore - Oklahoma Men's Golf Coach

The Back of the Range - All Access

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Email us: ben@thebackoftherange.com

Website: www.thebackoftherange.com

Voice Work by Mitch Phillips

Jim Anderson, Arizona men’s golf coach, talks through the build of a program that is both highly competitive and deeply relationship driven. He explains how the Wildcats are preparing for a new season, what adding associate head coach Alan Murray has meant, and why last year’s NCAA semifinal run proved the program can win it all. In this episode, Ben and Anderson also dig into the realities of college golf today, from transfer portal and NIL pressures to the challenge of building real team chemistry across a roster that spans multiple countries.

Jim Anderson - Arizona Men's Golf

The Back of the Range - All Access

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Email us: ben@thebackoftherange.com

Website: www.thebackoftherange.com

Voice Work by Mitch Phillips

Our guest on this epsiode of The Back of the Range is Jeff Thomas, head coach of the Liberty University Men's Golf Program.

Jeff Thomas - Liberty University Men's Golf Coach**

The Back of the Range - All Access**

Subscribe to The Back of the Range

Subscribe in Apple Podcasts and SPOTIFY!

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Follow on Social Media!

Email us: ben@thebackoftherange.com

Website: www.thebackoftherange.com

Voice Work by Mitch Phillips