SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Wofford College men’s golf coach Vic Lipscomb has announced that he will retire on June 30, 2017, following the completion of the 2016-17 season. Lipscomb is in his 13th season as head coach and he has guided the Terriers to eight tournament victories, 10 runner-up finishes and 39 top-fives in his tenure, as well as a combined 12 individual tournament championships. Lipscomb was named Southern Conference Co-Coach of the Year in 2016.
“I would like to say what a pleasure it has been to be the men’s golf coach at Wofford College for the last 13 years,” said Lipscomb. “What a joy to work with such a talented and gifted group of young men. I am truly thankful for the faith and trust that I received from our athletic department staff and the entire Wofford family.”
“We wish Vic nothing but the best in his upcoming retirement,” said Wofford director of athletics Richard Johnson. “A great player during his time as a student at Wofford, he has done great things with the program since taking the helm as head coach. His teams have been something for Wofford to be proud of, both on the course and in the classroom. We look forward to watching the team in his final season, while also beginning a search for a replacement.”
The 2015-16 season was perhaps the most successful in Lipscomb’s tenure. The Terriers took home two team titles, winning the Hummingbird Intercollegiate in the fall and The Legacy Intercollegiate in the spring, won four combined individual titles, sent Andrew Novak to NCAA Regionals as an individual and saw Jeremy Grab qualify for the 2016 U.S. Amateur. Both Grab and Novak were named to the All-Southern Conference Team and Lipscomb was named Southern Conference Co-Coach of the Year.
Wofford continued its success in 2014-15, as Lipscomb coached the Terriers to two tournament titles, three runner-up finishes and an individual championship. The Terriers teed off the season by winning the Rutgers Invitational. They started the spring of 2015 with a tournament championship at the Wexford Plantation Intercollegiate. The Terriers concluded the season by finishing fourth at the Southern Conference Championship and Jeremy Grab was named to the All-Southern Conference Team, becoming the first Terrier since 2011 to land the honors.
The 2013-14 year was one to remember for Lipscomb’s program, as he coached the Terriers to two tournament victories. The first victory came at the Donald Ross Intercollegiate, where senior George Perkovich earned medalist honors at 8-under 202. Wofford won its second tournament of the fall, taking home the title at the Hummingbird Intercollegiate. Andrew Novak was named to the SoCon All-Freshman Team. The 2012-13 squad’s season was highlighted by five top-five finishes, including second place at the Coca-Cola Wofford Intercollegiate.
In 2011-12, the Terriers finished in the top 10 in five tournaments, highlighted by a fourth-place finish at the Southern Conference Championship. It was the Terriers’ best finish since the 2007 SoCon Championship. Freshman Brannan Hudson finished in second place with a 218. He was Wofford’s highest individual finisher since the 2003 season, when Daniel Sloan finished in a tie for fifth place.
Lipscomb’s 2010-11 team finished in the top 10 in eight tournaments, including first at the Davidson College Invitational. Chandler Brazeal competed for the Terriers in the NCAA Southeast Regional and was named SoCon Freshman of the Year. Brazeal and teammate Brent McKenzie earn All-SoCon honors.
In 2009-10, Lipscomb’s Terriers placed in the top five in six tournaments throughout the season. Mark Joye was honored by the SoCon as Freshman of the Year. Garrett Medeiros and Joye were both named to the All-SoCon team and both competed for the Terriers in the NCAA Regionals. Garrett Medeiros was named All-Southern Conference in 2009 and Neil O’Brien earned All-SoCon and SoCon Freshman of the Year honors in 2006.
Lipscomb returned to the Spartanburg, S.C., campus in the summer of 2004 as the program’s inaugural director of golf. After one season, he assumed the duties of head men’s coach.
Lipscomb is a 1970 Wofford graduate and a member of the Terriers’ Athletic Hall of Fame and the South Carolina Golf Hall of Fame. The Union, S.C., native was also selected to the inaugural Hall of Fame class for Union High School.
Among his myriad of honors, Lipscomb was named the 1994 Carolinas PGA Golf Professional of the Year. He was also the 1989 Carolinas PGA Teacher of the Year and the 1986 Carolinas PGA Player of the Year.
Lipscomb was the head golf professional at The Carolina Country Club in Spartanburg, S.C., from 1990-2003. Previously, he was the head golf professional at the Country Club of Orangeburg (1977-90) and did a PGA apprenticeship at Scioto Country Club in Columbus, Ohio (1972-77).
During his undergraduate days, Lipscomb was a captain and most valuable player for the Terrier golf team. He helped lead Wofford to the 1970 state championship.
Lipscomb has remained a successful active player through the years. He has won three South Carolina Opens, a Carolinas Open and a total of 10 major Carolinas PGA championships. He was named the 1986 CPGA Player of the Year and earned Senior PGA Player of the Year honors in 1999 and 2000.
He qualified three times for The Heritage Classic and played twice in the PGA Championship. He also qualified for the 1979 Kemper Open in Charlotte, N.C., and two senior PGA Championships.
Lipscomb and his wife, Sandra, have three sons: Victor, David and Jonathan.