Cullen Carstens enters his second season as the assistant golf coach for both of Jacksonville State's golf teams.
Carstens brings coaching experience at collegiate golf’s highest level, as well as experience as a professional caddy, with him to JSU. He replaces former assistant Brad Fleetwood, who left in the winter to take the head coaching position at Southwestern Oklahoma State University.
Carstens played collegiately for his father at Missouri Baptist University before starting his career in golf. Before spending last season on the bag of European professional Peter Uihlein, he was a volunteer assistant at Oklahoma State.
“Cullen is still young in his career but he comes with the experience that we were looking for in the job.” Hobbs said. “He’s worked with the men’s and women’s teams at what some would call the premier program around and he’s experienced the day-to-day grind at the pro level as a caddy.”
A native of St. Louis, Mo., Carstens comes to JSU after spending the last year as a caddie for Uihlein on the European Professional Golf Association and European Challenge Professional Golf tours. Carstens caddied at the 2011 Transitions Championship, 2011 AT&T National and the 2012 Puerto Rico Open PGA tour events.
“He’s seen what it takes and the work that is needed to reach the pro level, and he can help prepare our players to reach that level,” Hobbs added.
Prior to that, Carstens served as a volunteer assistant golf coach at Oklahoma State from 2009-11. He worked with both the men’s and women’s teams and traveled with the teams to numerous tournaments. He helped with recruiting efforts and also developed various practice drills and competitions to assist in player development.
“I spent a lot of time on the course and driving range watching and learning,” Carstens said of his time at OSU. “I got a chance to see how they prepare and get ready to play tournaments. Coach Mike McGraw was a big role model for me and I had a chance to be around one of the top programs in the nation. I hope to bring some of that experience to JSU.”
Carstens spent the summer of 2007 as an operations intern with the American Junior Golf Association. While with the AJGA, he coordinated and directed 10 national junior golf tournaments across the nation. He was also in charge of volunteers at events and served as a rules official during tournaments.
He graduated from Missouri Baptist University in 2007 with a B.A. in Marketing/Business Administration. While at MBU, Carstens was a member of the golf team that was coached by his father, Randy. Carstens was named NAIA Academic All-American in 2006 and 2007 in addition to being an AMC First-Team All-Conference selection in 2004 and 2007. He was also named NAIA Region V First-Team All-Region in 2004 after claiming medalist honors at the regional tournament.
During his prep career at Westminster Christian Academy in St. Louis, Mo., Carstens won the district championship as a junior. He was named all-district on three occasions and was an all-state selection following his junior and senior seasons.
“It feels great to be here,” Carstens said of being at JSU. “I’ve wanted to get into coaching since playing for my dad in college. He gave me a passion for coaching and I’m ready for the opportunity to hit the ground running here at JSU.”
