Laura Patrick (Bradley '01) was named co-head coach for the Augsburg women's golf program in August 2005, joining Troy Nygaard as the Auggies' co-head coaches. Patrick assumed a solo role as head coach in the 2006-07 season. In August 2009, Patrick's role changed, assuming the role of assistant coach for both the Augsburg women's and men's golf programs.
The Auggie women’s golf team finished the 2008-09 season with a 393.1 stroke average, an improvement of 11.4 strokes from last season, with three of the four returning golfers improving their averages from last year. The Auggies had a strong spring half of the season, with a 388.9 stroke average in its five April competitions, after compiling a 396.1 stroke average in the fall half of the year.
Under Patrick, Augsburg finished the 2007-08 season with a team stroke average of 404.33, with a squad featuring no seniors and three first-year athletes. As Augsburg's coach, she has helped the scoring averages of her players drop as much as 10 strokes in one season and two of her players earned Most Improved Player of the Year honors from the Minnesota Women's Collegiate Golf Association (2007, 2008).
During the 2007-2008 season, Laura coached Johanna Frykmark, the first NGCA Academic All-Scholar in school history and the second female golfer in school history to earn All-MIAC Honors. She has also coached four MIAC All-Academic honorees during her time at Augsburg. In addition to coaching, Laura is a Class A LPGA Teaching Professional and has been nominated for LPGA Midwest Section Teacher of the Year (2008) and Golf Digest's Best Teachers in the State of Minnesota (2007).
Since 2003, Patrick has worked as a teaching professional for the Golf Academy of Three Rivers Park District at Baker National Golf Course in Medina, Minn. She serves as co-site director and instructor for the LPGA-USGA Girls' Golf Program and conducts private, semi-private and group lessons to adults and children of all skill levels at Baker National. She also owns her own golf instruction business, LP Golf.
Prior to moving to Minnesota, Patrick served as assistant professional and golf shop assistant at the Mt. Hawley Country Club in Peoria, Ill. She has also served as an instructor at numerous golf camps, and served as an instructor for the Delano (Minn.) High School girls' golf team in 2005.
As a player, Patrick has earned numerous honors in the LPGA's Teaching and Club Professional division. She tied for 29th at the 2003 national championship, tied for seventh in the division's Midwest Section championship in 2003 and 2004, and tied for fifth in the division's team national championship in 2004. As an amateur, she played twice in the LPGA's State Farm Rail Classic in Springfield, Ill., and twice in the SBC Futures JWA/Anheuser-Bush Futures Golf Classic in Decatur, Ill.
Patrick competed collegiately at Bradley University (Ill.) after competing in her first season at Ohio State. At Bradley, Patrick set school records for low season scoring average and low 54-hole tournament scoring, and was a two-time All-Missouri Valley Conference honoree. She was team captain and team MVP for a Bradley squad that claimed its first-ever MVC title in 1999. She earned MVC All-Academic Team honors multiple times and was named to the National Golf Coaches Association Division I All-Scholar team in 2000. She was a finalist for Bradley's Watonga Award, an athletic department honor for community service, academic achievement and athletic success, in 2000.
At Ohio State, Patrick set a new freshman scoring average record in 1998. Patrick was an Illinois high school state champion in 1995, and was ranked 23rd nationally among junior girl golfers in 1996 by Golfweek magazine.
Patrick earned her bachelor's degree in business marketing from Bradley in 2001, graduating magna cum laude. She received a Dean's Scholarship from Bradley, was inducted into the Beta Gamma Signa National Business Honor Society, and received the Marketing Excellence Award from the school's marketing department in 2001.
