Doug Martin

The profile of Cincinnati men’s golf continues to rise under the direction of Doug Martin, who enters his 16th season as the head coach in Fall 2024.

Coupled with an ambitious vision and determined work ethic, Martin, who served his first three years as an assistant coach, has parlayed the program’s recent fully-funded status into newfound growth.

Martin can also hold the distinction of presiding over Cincinnati's first-ever Big 12 team or individual champion. The Bearcats' inaugural season saw Ty Gingerich card a 9-under 279 at the Whispering Pines Golf Club in Trinity, Texas. It was the first four-day event in program history as well, and marked three-straight years of NCAA Regional representation.

The 2022-23 season saw Cincinnati earn its first NCAA Regional appearance in program history, including climbing to No. 25 in the Golfstat rankings, its highest ever, while winning three tournament titles (its most since 1997-98). Martin was named the AAC Coach of the Year, while Ryan Ford earned Freshman of the Year. Ford, Sam Jean and Ty Gingerich became UC's first All-Conference trio since 1993 as well.

During the past 10 seasons, and through the Spring 2023 regular season, the men’s golf team has registered 38 top-5 finishes and won eight tournaments while continuing to build respect nationally.

Jean's bid to the 2022 NCAA Columbus Regional marked the fifth individual appearance in school history. Jean also earned the program's first CoSIDA Academic All-American distinction. That spring also saw the Bearcats set two records in the final round of the Colleton River Collegiate in South Carolina: Clay Amlung's 8-under 64 and a team 18-under 270, the latter besting the previous by five strokes. Jean also competed in the US Amateur Championship in August. All in all, four different Bearcats combined for 11 top-10 finishes in 2021-22.

Despite the shortened 2019-2020 season, Martin was able to lead the Bearcats to two top-5 finishes. Those 2 finishes taking place at the Bearcat Invitational and the Steelwood Collegiate Invitational, both of which transpired in during the Fall portion of the season. The success continued in the classroom with 8 players being named to the AAC All-Academic Team.

In 2017-18, the program reached a new height when two players - Austin Squires and Davis Baxter - were named all-conference performers in the American Athletic Conference.  

Squires went on to qualify for the 2018 U.S. Amateur and advanced to the quarterfinals, the deepest run by a Bearcat in the nation’s top amateur tournament in school history.

In 2016-17, the Bearcats caught the league by surprise, tying for second place at the American Championship. It marked Cincinnati’s best finish at a conference tournament since claiming back-to-back Great Midwest Conference titles in 1993 and 1994. The Bearcats completed the year with their highest national ranking in program history (No. 92). 

Individually in 2016-17, Squires was named The American’s Player of the Year and tied for 21st place at the West Lafayette NCAA Regional, marking the best NCAA Tournament finish by a Bearcat in school history. His 71.92 stroke average at year’s end was the lowest in program history. 

The Bearcats took their first measurable step toward national recognition under Martin in 2013-14, posting nine top-5 finishes while ranking as the nation’s most improved team. By season’s end, the Bearcats rewrote the record books, recording the program’s best scoring average (291.06), posting the most birdies (505) in a season and achieving its best national ranking (93). UC also won its first team title since 2008 after claiming the Cleveland State Invitational during the fall season. UC ended the year by finishing sixth at the inaugural American Championship. 

Martin’s UC teams also enjoyed success as members of the BIG EAST Conference in his previous four seasons as head coach, recording a pair of top-6 finishes at the BIG EAST Championship. Three players posted top-10 finishes at the league championship and three players earned All-BIG EAST accolades. 

During the 2012-13 season, Martin helped guide David Tepe to medalist honors at the BIG EAST Conference Championship. Tepe received All-BIG EAST accolades and became the fourth Bearcat in school history to participate in the NCAA Championships. 

Martin also led the Bearcats to a strong finish at the 2011 BIG EAST Championship, placing sixth. Joe Kastelic and Tepe each posted top 10 finishes at the conference championship, with Kastelic taking home All-BIG EAST honors.

Martin tutored Alberto Fernandez, who became the second Bearcat in program history to earn all-league honors at the 2009 BIG EAST Championship.

Four Bearcats also have participated in the U.S. Amateur during Martin’s UC tenure - Davis Baxter, Kastelic, Squires (twice) and Tepe (twice).

Martin joined the UC program as an assistant coach prior to the 2006-07 campaign and was promoted to head coach three seasons later.

// PRIOR TO CINCINNATI
Martin has found success on all levels of golf, beginning with his days as a junior golfer in the mid-1980s. During that time, Martin was a two-time AJGA All-American and was ranked No. 1 in the nation in 1984. He moved on to more success on the amateur level, ascending to the No. 1 national ranking in 1989.

From there, Martin moved on to a successful collegiate career at the University of Oklahoma. While at OU, Martin won five individual titles and was a three-time All-American. Martin enjoyed a memorable moment in 1989 when he finished second in the NCAA Championship to current PGA star Phil Mickelson.

Following college, Martin played for eight years on the PGA Tour, and earned a pair of professional victories. In 1995, Martin lost a five-hole playoff to Vijah Singh at the Buick Classic.

Since retiring from the tour in 1999, Martin has been involved in golf instruction and course set-up.

Doug and his wife Amy share a growing family: Cody (Kentucky, 2016 graduate) and Carly (Cincinnati, 2016), Macy (Cincinnati, 2018), Andy (Cincinnati, 2018), Alexandra (Cincinnati, 2018, who is married to Alex, also a 2018 UC grad) and Samantha (Cincinnati, 2019). He has five grandchildren: Aurora, Gwendolyn, Penelope, Remington and Rhodes.