Long-time teaching professional and former NCAA champion Rich Greenwood is in his fourth season as an assistant coach with the Pepperdine women’s golf program in 2022-23.
He joined the Waves ahead of the 2019-20 season. He helped the Waves win a West Coast Conference title in 2022 and advance to NCAA Regional play each of the last two seasons.
“I have known Rich for 20 years and think he will be an excellent addition to our program,” said head coach Laurie Gibbs at the time of Greenwood’s hiring. “He has been a winner in junior, college and professional golf. He is one of the premier PGA teaching professionals in Southern California and we are very excited that he will be joining the Waves. As a college golfer, Rich’s UCLA team won the NCAA championship. As a college coach, we look forward to him being an important part of the Waves winning an NCAA championship.”
Greenwood was born and raised in the San Fernando Valley and graduated from UCLA in 1989. He played golf for four years with the Bruins and won the NCAA team championship in 1988. He made the All-Pac-10 second team in 1987 and was team captain as a senior.
He turned pro in 1989 and spent the next five years playing in Southeast Asia, Canada and on the Ben Hogan Tour. He was a teaching professional at El Caballero Country Club and Brentwood Country Club from 1995 to 2002. He was then Director of Instruction at Tour Golf in Agoura Hills from 2002 to 2016. Before joining Pepperdine, he was a PGA teaching professional at Westlake Golf Course.
“I’m thankful for the opportunity to represent Pepperdine University and work with Laurie to continue the incredible success of the last 26 years,” said Greenwood at his hiring. “The quality of the student-athletes that have come through the program and all of their achievements as All-Americans, All-American Scholars and contributors to a better society after graduation, is the legacy of the program.
“Pepperdine provides student-athletes the perfect environment, with all the resources they need to earn a degree and take their golf game to the next level. I am excited to assist in the success of the program into the future.”
Greenwood and his wife Chantal have two children, Cooper and Riley.
