Mark Stoops is too Motivated to golf

Mark Stoops is motivated. He’s said it plenty of times since Kentucky concluded a disappointing 4-8 campaign. His motivation has become the cornerstone of Big Blue Nation’s internet offseason conversations. However, it’s impossible to quantify how motivated he is, but we do have one data point that can confirm that he is, in fact, very, very motivated.

Even though there is no true offseason in college football, the summer months are a great way to find some time away from the office and sneak in a round of golf or two. Thanks to some sleuths in the state of Alabama, we actually know how often the Kentucky head football coach is hitting the links.

An AuburnLive message board poster noted that Hugh Freeze has frequented golf courses around the state of Alabama this offseason. It motivated AL.com’s investigative journalists to examine how many times he has golfed this year by using the USGA’s GHIN database, a tool golfers use to track their scores and create a handicap.

The AuburnLive message board user was correct. Hugh Freeze has played more golf than any other SEC coach this offseason, logging ten rounds during the first 20 days crucial recruiting month of June. After losing a few important recruits, Freeze’s golf game is inflaming the criticism. Shane Beamer had the second-most recorded rounds of any SEC coach, with three in June.

While scouring through the GHIN database, AL.com found that Mark Stoops did not pick up the sticks once in the month of June. During the month of May, when the entire team was off-campus, he posted seven scores at Lexington Country Club, but five of those were 9-hole rounds. Stoops’ best score this year was an 89. His all-time recorded low was an 84 last July. He has a handicap of 16.8.

It’s abundantly clear that Mark Stoops is motivated to turn-around the Kentucky football, too motivated to spend time on the golf course.

See Mark Stoops’ Golf Swing

KSR has actually spent some time with Mark Stoops on the links. Each year, the football program hosts the Schlarman Strong Golf Scramble, with this year’s event held in April. Back in 2023, we followed along a few former Cats at Keene Trace. Even though he just underwent surgery, Stoops took out the sticks and hit a few balls. The Kentucky head coach takes a long, full swing, but he hit his driver straight down the fairway. Enjoy this rare footage now, because you aren’t going to be seeing it anytime soon.

Sign up for the KSR Newsletter to receive Kentucky Wildcats news in the most ridiculous manner possible.