Goad overcomes obstacles to continue golf career at WC

By Rick Mauch

Gatlin Goad is proof that if you want something bad enough, you can make it happen. And, as a result, he became an outstanding golfer.

Goad, a Weatherford College men's golf team member, is a freshman from west Texas. He had to drive 45 miles to the Pampa Country Club, which he regularly did to play and practice, five to seven times a week in the summer.

"Days I didn't go to the course I practiced at my grandparents' about 10 minutes from my house, hitting old range balls into a pasture where I would handpick my own balls to practice," he recalled.

In other words, he really wanted to play golf, a sport he fell in love with at the age of 4.

Goad attended Fort Elliott Consolidated Independent School District in Briscoe, a small community in the Panhandle. As a freshman, he placed third at the state golf tournament but could not return as a sophomore due to tearing his ACL playing basketball and having reconstructive surgery. Following his injury, his junior year was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

When he did return to competition as a senior, he did so with a vengeance. He won all six tournaments he entered, including a state championship.

Goad comes from a rodeo family of team ropers. Then, his great grandmother on his dad's side started playing golf, and his grandparents also began to play.

"My grandpa wanted to get my sister and me into golf instead of going down the rodeo trail.  He wanted us to experience something different than what he did," Goad said.

His older sister, Shaley, played at Oklahoma Christian University for four years. And yes, he said they have a sibling rivalry that has helped them improve as they've progressed.

"We've always pushed each other to be better golfers growing up, always competing with one another," he said. "With her being four years older than me, I always strived to beat her when I was younger."

All of this led him to Weatherford College, where the golf program was revived this year under coach Jesse Speirs following a more than a two-decade sabbatical.

"I was skeptical at first while deciding to come to WC due to the program having no recent history," he said. "I decided to come play after talking with Coach Speirs and realizing how good of a coach he will be and his extensive knowledge of the game.  

"I am honored to be a part of the WC golf team's revival starting up the golf program again."

Goad hasn't settled on a major, but he would love to play professional golf.

"Golf has been my passion my whole life, and I would enjoy it to keep pursuing it after college as well," he said. "My most important goal at WC is to get my associate's degree then transfer out to a DI university to continue my collegiate golf career."