Larry Beem returns for his fifth full year as skipper of the New Mexico State University men's golf program. Beem has been affiliated with the program since 1964, when he was chosen as the first Aggie All-American.
Beem, a mainstay in the golf industry for over 40 years, took charge of the New Mexico State men's golf program on February 16, 1998.
Since becoming head coach in 1998, Beem has coached two back-to-back Big West Conference Individual Champions (Lieberworth, 1999; Babich, 2000) and coached the Aggies to consecutive second place finishes at the Big West Championships in 1999 and 2000. Beem also coached Babich to his second individual conference championship at the 2002 Sun Belt Tournament and coached the Aggies to a second place finish, improving on the ninth place finish from the year before. Under Beem?s guidance, the Aggies have placed strong at the annual Herb Wimberly/Coca-Cola Classic, winning the home tournament in 1999.
Prior to taking the helm of the Aggie golf squad, Beem worked for the Department of the Army. He worked over 24 years as the head professional and general manager for military golf courses around the world. During that time, he developed a solid golf philosophy that he feels can also be used successfully at the collegiate level.
"I concentrate heavily on the mental aspects needed to perform in a competitive environment," said Beem. "This includes the development of a personal 'roadmap' to allow the player to focus upon a desired result, with a method for eliminating negative or extraneous thoughts. Instructional approaches are geared entirely to the individual player, recognizing the physical and emotional differences in each."
Beem began working for the Army in 1974 when he took a job with the White Sands Golf Course located at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.
In his first tour at White Sands, which lasted until 1981, Beem was instrumental in expanding the facilities, including designing and supervising additions to the clubhouse. He was also the catalyst behind the reconstruction of four of the course's holes that were destroyed by a flood in 1978. During that time, he recruited and trained Matt Pinter as an assistant. Pinter has gone on to head up two of the country's four professional golf management programs at both Mississippi State University and Ferris State University.
In 1981, Beem accepted a position at the Amador Golf Club in Fort Amador, Republic of Panama. During his first year at Amador, Beem turned what was a historically non-profiting club into a $30,000 profiting business and would increase it to $50,000 in his second year. His quick success did not go unnoticed as Beem was recruited to assist with course maintenance at two Panamanian country clubs. He also became well known as an instructor in the area, as his clientele ranged from American to Panamanian to Japanese players.
Beem again decided to make another career move in 1983 after two years in Panama. This time, he was hired at the Berlin Golf and Country Club in Berlin, Germany, where he would remain until 1987. In Berlin, Beem continued his expert instruction with an elite membership. He created and conducted an extensive tournament program that included at least two events per year that came to include major sponsors such as Pan American Airlines and Dunhill, Ltd. His efforts culminated in the hosting of several major golf events including the 1986 German Amateur Championship, the 1985 U.S. Army Championship and the 1985 and 1986 Dunhill Trophy matches. Beem also coached both the 1985 and 1986 U.S. Dunhill Trophy teams that matched United States forces against British forces.
After five years of service in Berlin, Beem returned to the United States in 1987, where he continued work at the White Sands Golf Course.
In his second tour at White Sands, Beem designed and supervised the expansion of a driving range in conjunction with the increasing demands of his instruction. He developed and completed a water conservation project of the course's irrigation system. Beem also oversaw another expansion of the clubhouse. He would remain at White Sands until accepting the head coaching position at NMSU.
Beem graduated from New Mexico State University with a bachelor's degree in business administration in 1964. Beem played three seasons of golf for the Aggies from 1962-64. He was selected as New Mexico State's first All-American as a senior in 1964 after advancing to the quarterfinal round of the NCAA Championships. In recognition of his achievement, he was inducted into NMSU's Athletic Hall of Fame in 1990.
Over the years, Beem has been the recipient of a plethora of honors and awards for his success and service, including the Community Service Award for Berlin, Germany in 1987 and the Commander-in-Chief's Special Recognition for Installation Excellence in 1993. Most recently, Beem was recognized for his work with an Achievement Medal for Civilian Service in 1994.
Beem, 63, resides in Las Cruces. He has three children, Tina, Susie and Richard, a former Aggie golfer and current player on the PGA Tour.
