RedHawk Chatter: Golf Coach Casey Lubahn

The Miami RedHawks are traveling to Indianapolis, Ind. Wednesday to participate in the MAC Championship at the Brickyard Crossing Golf Course. Before they leave, head coach Casey Lubahn stopped by Tuesday and answered several questions. Lubahn is in his first year as head coach of the RedHawks after serving as an assistant for three seasons at Michigan State. He was a three-year letterwinner as a Spartan and finished his career with the fifth lowest scoring average in program history. Additionally, Lubahn recently took part in a reality series called the "Big Break". The series "Big Break X: Michigan" featured Lubahn and his wife, Rachel competing against other teams in various golf related competitions.

MURedHawks.com: Welcome to today's chat with head men's golf coach Casey Lubahn. He is currently getting settled in and we will begin shortly. Please keep sending in your questions

Sven (Richmond): Coach, Would it be worth it to make the trek down to Indy to watch some of the tourney?

Casey Lubahn: Absolutely, besides supporting your RedHawks, it'll be a great opportunity to see some amazing golf.

Daniel (Walled Lake, MI): Coach, What would you say the biggest transition for you has been in your move from assistant at a Big 10 school (Go State!) to head coach at Miami, where the profile is lower?

Casey Lubahn: Biggest transition between MSU and here at Miami has been the identification and implementation of our own culture. Every successful program must play to their strengths and in order to do so must first identify what will make them successful. Currently we are very happy with the progress we are making as we create our own culture.

Adam (Oxford): Coach how has your first year as Miami's head coach been?

Casey Lubahn: It's been a fantastic year for my wife and I as we adjust to Oxford and the surrounding community. After nine months I am more confident then ever that we can build a program that makes our university and alumni proud.

Jack (Fairfield): In a sport that is so individual based, what impact do your captains have on your team?

Casey Lubahn: First of all we are blessed to have two great senior captains, Ben Bastel and Ben Wood who are really extensions of our coaching staff. They are my first contact when we are trying new ideas and new lineups and really support the relationship between me and the rest of the guys. As you can see in our hockey program, good captains are by-products of the environment they matured in. They are crucial to maintaining a winning culture.

Brett (Hamilton): You competed on Big Break with your wife, is she a former collegiate golfer too?

Casey Lubahn: Rachel played her college golf at Michigan State. Our time on the team together helped us build a relationship together as friends, which led to our future marriage. She is an accomplished player having won the Big Ten Championship by nine shots as an individual in 2007. As you can see she is the player in the family.

Jim (Oxford): Casey - What will it take to turn the program around to the competitiveness it once had in the conference from the mid 80's to mid 90s?

Casey Lubahn: Miami has a storied tradition in golf. Coach Cromer is a legend in the coaching world and my job is to help restore the program to its days of domination in the MAC and respect on the national golf scene. In order to do so we must first start by identifying and selling the right prospects into becoming RedHawks. After that it is going to take a team effort from our alums, our administration, our friends and our family to do all the little things necessary to compete day in and day out. I am confident we can do that.

Mark (Dayton): What impact will your freshmen recruiting class have on the program immediately next fall?

Casey Lubahn: Our incoming freshman are a huge step in the right direction for us. Besides being elite players, they are men of great character, ambition and dedication. I expect all three of them to play significant roles on next year's team.

Jack (Columbus): I see that a couple of recruits are joining Miami from Michigan high school teams. I know that you played and coached at Michigan State so I understand the connection. What areother hotbeds in the Midwest?

Casey Lubahn: Ohio in itself is a major recruiting hotbed. However, we will not stop there. We believe this university can attract kids from all over the US and my vehicle this summer will be my second home as I will be working my tail off to tell every kid the story of Miami. Obviously Michigan is an area where I have great expertise, but I also feel like Miami can be sold in the Northeast and all over the Midwest.

Jae (Harrison): How has being on "Big Break" helped with recruiting?

Casey Lubahn: Hi Jae! Big Break was an incredible opportunity for my wife and I. And while we didn't win, I still felt it was a successful experience because it helped those people in the golf world who didn't know us get a chance to understand who we are and what makes us tick. Recruits continue to talk about watching the show and they feel more comfortable with who I am as a person which leads to a great amount of trust and a long lasting relationship.

Bill (Cincinnati): What was being on the Big Break like and is it harder to play golf with all of those cameras on you?

Casey Lubahn: Certainly. I want you to imagine 125 staff people and 20 cameras pointed at you this Saturday morning at your local club. And then have it televised to 73 countries worldwide. It's impossible to not think about a situation where people in their living rooms could be laughing at your misfortune. But on the otherhand, I was excited to see if I could impress some folks along the way.

curtis: I hear people say "get lost in the process playing golf" what does this mean exactly

Casey Lubahn: In follow up to the previous Big Break questions and the impending MAC Championship, I love this question. Our guys, as well as Rachel and I during the filming of Big Break need to always get committed to the process of hitting good shots and not worrying about the results. When Tiger makes huge putts to win tournaments, I promise you he is not thinking about making or missing the putt. He is thinking about all the things he needs to do to give himself the best chance of making the putt. We must live with the results in golf and in life and only worry about the part we can control.

Jim (Michigan): When recruiting what do you look for in a golfer?

Casey Lubahn: Character, academic prowess, short game and the "it" factor. I can not explain the "it" factor, but we all know it when we see it. I can teach almost anyone to play good golf, but I can't teach good character and values.

Steve (Cincinnati): Can this team bring back the MAC title this season or is that still a few years off?

Casey Lubahn: Definitely, we have shown the ability to compete at the highest level. However, we are not going to get it done thinking about winning. We must stick to the process and trust we have prepared as well as we know how. Steve, I like the way you are thinking that we can do this now.

John (Oxford): What type of course is the Brickyard? What will be the keys for Miami in playing it to win the title?

Casey Lubahn: The Brickyard is classic Pete Dye. It is intimidating visually and rewards smart play. We played another Dye course last week and I believe it suits our style. Trust will be key.

Matt (Hamilton): Who is the main competition at the MAC Championship? Also which golfers on your team do you expect to compete for the individual championship?

Casey Lubahn: Kent State, Eastern Michigan and Ball State have all been real tough this spring. Physically I think we match up well with all three teams. We are as prepared as we have been all year and I love the five guys we have going this week. Everything has worked out like I hoped it would.

Ray (Toledo): Coach - Why has Kent State been able to be so successful in Men's Golf?

Casey Lubahn: Herb Page and the entire Kent State community has rallied around their program. Herb is a visionary and has done everything in his power to give his students access to great facilities and great competition. If we get this community to believe along with us that we can win at the highest level, I see very similar results in our future. I wouldn't be here if I didn't think administration and community believed we could win multiple MAC Championships and finish in the top ten in the NCAA level.

Tank (Piqua): What are the disadvantages of not having a campus course? Is Miami's lack of a home course fairly common?

Casey Lubahn: Our lack of a University golf course is not entirely uncommon. The disadvantages include scheduling and easy access to the courses at all times. Our relationships with the generous golf course owners and managers are vital to our success. Despite the challenges, I believe Browns Run CC, Hueston Woods, Liberty CC and Weatherwax GC provide us with the facilities to improve every day. In the meantime I am going to keep working to further enhance our facility options.

Rachel (Oxford): Who is the best administrator in the athletic department?

Casey Lubahn: Hi sweetheart, you are embarrassing me! Obviously I have great faith in Brad Bates and Josh Fenton and they had great influence in me coming to Miami. I can't thank them enough.

Jake (Richmond): What players across the MAC stand out to you as the toughest in individual competition?

Casey Lubahn: John Hahn, Chris Ross and Cam Burke have all had great seasons. Also we have had two guys Nathan Sutherland and Ben Bastel play steady all year. I believe the Player of the Year will be determined by the finishes this week.

MURedHawks.com: We have time for two more questions.

Oscar (Eaton): I'm going to the Western Open this summer and I want to see as many of the pros as I can. As a live spectator at a golf match, what are your suggestions as to being being in the gallery?

Casey Lubahn: Oscar, I would recommend hitting the driving range as often as possible when you are at the Western Open. Tour players are incredibly efficient in all areas of their game. I encourage you to watch more than just how far they hit the ball. Hang out at the range and by a green to really see why these guys make the big bucks.

Forrest in Ross, Ohio: What kind of clubs do you personally use?

Casey Lubahn: I use all Nike clubs. I have the SQ Dymo driver and fairway woods. The Victory Red Irons and the new Nike wedges. There are a ton of great products out there, but I figure if it is good enough for Tiger Woods, it is good enough for me. Try them out for yourself and let me know what you think.

MURedHawks.com: Thank you for attending this chat with Coach Lubahn. The MAC Championship is Thursday through Saturday at the Brickyard in Indianapolis. Check with MURedHawks.com each day for updated results. Next week we will feature Dan Simonds or a RedHawk baseball player on Wednesday, May 6 at 11:30 a.m. to take your questions.

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