Harry Hammond begins his 15th season as head coach of West Chester University’s men’s golf squad, having established the Golden Rams linksmen as one of the top programs in the Atlantic Region as well as the entire Northeastern United States. In the summer of 2019, he added the duties of head coach for the women's golf program at West Chester University as well.
A 55-year member of the PGA of America, Hammond recently received a pair of prestigious awards for his dedication to the game of golf. He was named the Lebron Harris Sr. Award winner in 2016 by the Golf Coaches Association of America. The Harris Award is presented to the college or high school coach and PGA Professional whose support of the game through teaching, coaching and involvement in the community has helped ensure the continued growth of the game of golf and who represents the finest qualities the game has to offer. Hammond also won the 2012 national Bill Strausbaugh Award handed out by the PGA for leadership and service to the game of golf in the Philadelphia section.
Hammond, a PGA Master Professional, brings a great deal of coaching experience with him to the collegiate level as well as a laundry list of experiences initiating junior golf programs and promoting the game of golf to youngsters. He had an opportunity to join a group of businessmen in purchasing Penn Oaks Golf Club in 2005 where he currently serves as a partner and Director of Golf. In 2014, Hammond became a partner in the Golf Zone Family Learning Center located north of Downingtown, Pa. He has built his teaching reputation on the success of his Junior Golf Program and the hundreds of juniors he has taught over the years. For the last 18 years, he has volunteered to teach a program offered to the children in the Phoenixville, Pa., area at Meadowbrook Golf Club. This program grew to over 200 participants. Hammond organized and has been teaching a program at Cheyney University since March 2009. This program was designed to introduce golf to their students as a club program. Hammond has been recognized by US Kids Golf as their “Top 50 Teachers for Junior Golf" in 2005, 2009 and 2011. In 2012, Harry was presented with the US Kids Master Teacher award.
Hammond has served the Philadelphia Section of the Professional Golfers Association of America as an officer and committee chair for several years. He currently is the President of the “Greater Philadelphia Sections Junior Golf Foundation” and a member of the Junior Committee.
In his first decade at the helm of West Chester University's men's program, the Golden Rams have won a pair of conference championships (2014, 2018) and qualified for the NCAA Division II Atlantic & East Regional Championships nine straight seasons (2011-19) while one golfer, Tyler Maiman, advanced to nationals in the spring of 2016. Three golfers have won conference freshman of the year (Connor Lefever - 2011; Maiman - 2016; Chris Warner - 2018), and Hammond himself has been named coach of the year on three occasions (2011, 2015, 2019). A total of seven golfers have been named All-PSAC a total of 13 times while three different golfers have earned PING All-Region honors a total of five times during Hammond's tenure. In the fall 2018, Chris Warner won the PSAC individual championship, becoming the first pupil of Hammond's while at West Chester to win a PSAC title. Last fall, Warner finished in a three-way tie for first, but fell in the tie-breaker and placed third. Most recently, Warner was a repeat first team All-PSAC performer as well as PING All-Atlantic Region.
In his first full season in charge of the women's program, he guided West Chester to a third-place finish at the 2019 PSAC Women's Golf Championship while senior Meghan O'Mara walked away as the individual champion. It was the sixth tournament title in as many tries for the senior Golfer of the Year in the PSAC. The women won a pair of tournaments in the fall of 2019 under Hammond's direction.
Former Golden Rams golfer, Drew Patterson, graduated from West Chester in 2017 a three-time All-PSAC honoree and two-time PING All-Region selection. He spent the spring of his senior year ranked among the top golfers in the the Atlantic Region. Maiman, a two-time All-PSAC pick in each of his first two seasons under Hammond's guidance, tied for 57th at the NCAA Division II national tournament in Denver, Colo.
West Chester has won 11 tournaments in 14 seasons under Hammond with 19 more runner-up performances. Three times, a Golden Rams golfer has finished either runner-up, or lost a playoff round, at the PSAC Championships (Basehore - 2010; Patterson - 2017; Warner - 2019). Both Patterson and Warner tied for first place, but lost their respective playoff rounds.
In 2012, freshman Austin Mann was named second team All-PSAC while Hammond led his charges to a third-place finish at the PSAC Championships. The Golden Rams placed 17th at the NCAA Regionals in the spring of 2012.
Hammond was named PSAC coach of the year in 2011, after guiding the Golden Rams to a second-place showing at the PSAC Championships in the fall. Griffith Basehore was second overall on the individual leaderboard at that tournament.
In 2009, Hammond coached the Rams to a fifth-place finish at the PSAC Championships in October. The Golden Rams finished the season with four fourth-place finishes, which was their highest placing of the year in any given tournament.
In his first season at the helm of West Chester University’s program, the lifelong resident of Chester County guided the Golden Rams to a sixth-place finish at the PSAC Championships.
Before taking over as director of golf at Penn Oaks, Hammond was a golf professional with the West Chester Golf & Country Club as well as director of golf at Whitford Country Club in Exton, Pa. for 38 years. Upon his retirement from Whitford Country Club, the President’s Room was renamed the Hammond Room in his honor.
Hammond has begun junior golf programs at numerous clubs and courses around Chester County. In 1999, he was named PGA of America Junior Golf Leader and is president of the Greater Philadelphia PGA Junior Golf Foundation.
in October 2018, Unionville High School honored Hammond with induction into their Hall of Fame given to the schools graduates who have excelled in their profession as well as service within the community.
Hammond is married to the former Sally Fackler. Their daughter Laura, played Division I golf for Penn State University under coach Denise St Pierre where she was recognized as a two time All America. She is also an eight time Women’s Golf Association of Philadelphia Champion and currently serves as the Executive Director of the Women’s Golf Association of Philadelphia.
