Flames golf Head Coach Jeff Thomas gives an inside look to this year’s team

The Liberty golf fall season is in full swing and fans, players and coaches are eager for the return to the course. With new faces, new opportunities and a new conference, the mission is still the same — to compete for an NCAA Championship. 

Beginning his twentieth season as head coach at his alma mater, Jeff Thomas is looking forward to starting a new season with a new team. 

“We’re excited,” Thomas said. “We have a lot of young guys mixed with a lot of older guys. They’re really excited to get the season going. We’ve been really successful the last three or four years as a team. We’ve only played one tournament so far, but we’re all excited to get the rest of the fall season going.” 

The team this year includes three freshmen and three returning starters. 

One of those returning starters, Isaac Simmons, returns to Lynchburg after the unprecedented opportunity to play against the best golfers in the world at the 122nd U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club. 

“We’re glad to have Isaac on the team,” Thomas said. “Anytime you can go out and play against the best players in the world and see what your game is like and what areas you need to focus on more … it’s one thing to see them play on TV, but it’s another thing to be playing with them and being able to pick their brains a little bit. I’m sure it’s helped out his game a lot.” 

Early into the season, Thomas sees some things he likes, and some things that need work after tournament number one. 

“We played really well the first two days,” Thomas said. “I thought we hung in there and hit a lot of really good shots. The third day we struggled a little bit, so we just need to be more consistent all three rounds.” 

With three new faces on the team this year, the caliber of players on the Mountain is higher than ever. Liberty golf has changed drastically since Thomas played in the 90s, something that he attributes to an increased exposure for the program. 

“We have been able to recruit a higher level of players,” Thomas said. “The exposure Liberty has now versus the exposure we had 30 years ago differs greatly. People know who Liberty is, whether you’re in Florida or California, so that makes a big difference in the players we are able to recruit.” 

This season presents a new challenge for all of Liberty’s NCAA teams, as the Flames made the move from the ASUN to Conference-USA. Just like the other squads, the Flames Golf team is optimistic. 

“We are excited to be in C-USA,” Thomas said. “There are many good teams in C-USA, but we should be able to remain as one of the conference’s top three teams. Our goal is to win the conference championship, so we will have to go play well. We can definitely win if we go there and play really well and continue to develop as the season goes on. Our objective is to go into the conference championship as the top seed.” 

The Flames won the ASUN Championship last season, but the path to a C-USA title will look a little different. C-USA matches are played in a match play format, meaning score is kept by who wins each hole, rather than stroke play, which keeps track of total strokes for all 18 holes. 

Liberty is currently in the busiest month of its entire schedule, with three weekend tournaments in October that will give them ample time on the road. 

“Once you get into a routine of being on the road, it’s not too bad,” Thomas said. “Most of the guys have played the last few years, so they know what to expect … If we can chip and putt well and not leave shots out on the course, then we will be alright.” 

The team will take to the course next at the Quail Valley Collegiate Invitational in Vero Beach, Florida, for a two-day tournament Oct. 15-16. 

Weissinger is a sports reporter for the Liberty Champion. Follow him on X