Campbell University

John Crooks Photo Gallery
John Crooks Hall of Fame Introduction Video
Tales from the Creek Podcast | John Crooks (May 2025) part 1
Tales from the Creek Podcast | John Crooks (June 2025) part 2

One of the top collegiate golf coaches in the country, John Crooks was inducted into the Campbell Athletics Hall of Fame on Jan. 18, 2025.  The Winston-Salem, N.C., native was inducted into the National Golf Coaches Association Hall of Fame in January 2006. 

Named head coach of the Campbell men's golf program in 1990 and women's head coach one year later, John Crooks has been named league coach of the year 23 times in his tenure.  His teams have combined to earn 36 NCAA post-season trips, including 15-straight team or individual berths, plus five national championship appearances.  His teams have won 161 tournaments and with 100 career tournament titles, Crooks trails only Dan Brooks of Duke (143) on the all-time coaching victories list among Division I women's coaches. No other coach on the Division I level has won more combined men’s and women’s tournaments than Crooks.  He has guided his teams to 27 league titles, including 19 on the women’s side and eight in men’s competition.

Coach Crooks has directed 210 golfers to all-conference honors during his tenure and 367 individuals to all-academic honors.  He has recruited and developed 27 conference golfers of the year and 15 conference freshmen of the year.  He has mentored dozens of professionals, including PGA Tour members Brad Fritsch, David Mathis and Jesper Svensson, who was the 2024 DP World Tour rookie of the year before earning his PGA card.  Seven Camels over the last six seasons have gone on to play in PGA or European sanctioned tours.  Crooks played collegiately at the University of Houston under legendary coach Dave Williams.  He won the 1967 United States Golf Association Junior Amateur Championship and the 2001 North & South Senior Amateur Championship.