History of Golf at Eaglebrook

The Eaglebrook archives indicate that many students and faculty enjoyed the game of golf, going back to the school’s earliest days.

This comes as no surprise given Eaglebrook’s fundamental belief that students learn best when connected to the outdoors.

The school’s first interscholastic team was formed in 1976 by faculty member Bill Van Order, who had a profound impact on the lives of countless boys during his 27 years on the Hill.

Though Bill was most well known for his contributions as a coach in the sport of wrestling, he was also a scratch golfer and continued to lead the team for the next two decades. Bill sadly passed away December, 2023. You can read his obituary here. Bryan Johnson, a history teacher and director of admissions, was the assistant coach.

The members of the seminal team were:

Stewart Ledbetter '76
Nao Matsukata '79
John George '78
Jay Manning '78
Doug MacKenzie '76
Will Neff '76
Andy Clark '79

"The team evolved quite nicely into a more organized and competitive team in the few years I was at Eaglebrook. We organized the New England Pre-Prep Golf Championship and hosted it at Crumpin Fox when it only had nine holes. Most of all, Mr. Van Order and his "ultra-low handicap" and Mr. Johnson were wonderfully supportive and fun coaches."

Nao Matsukata '79 P14; Former Trustee

"I had a good time getting to play golf all spring after years of playing baseball. Coaches Van Order and Johnson were very patient with us and gave lots of pointers. An especially great memory was playing golf and then going to Friendly's for dinner before heading back to school."

Will Neff '76