LHS 2012 Graduate Ben Hart Building Ottawa Hills Golf from the Ground Up

“I always knew I wanted to be a coach,” Hart said. “What got me into it was just diving right into it.” - LHS Class of 2012’s Ben Hart.

Photo - Olivet College

4/29/2026

Justin Scott - Info@redarrowpreps.com

For Lowell High School Class of 2012 graduate Ben Hart, golf has always been a constant. Now it’s a vehicle for building something bigger than himself. Ben was a four year starter for the Red Arrows from 2009-2012 under then Head Coach Gary Fredline. He had a 9-hole average: 41.6 and an 18-hole average of 82.5 which brought him to Olivet College where he competed collegiately with Lowell teammate Joey Gauck.

Hart’s connection to golf started early, well before his time at LHS.

“My aunt and uncle own Maple Hill in Grandville so I have been around the game for a long time,” Hart said. “I did their junior league program every summer. I was very fortunate to have the resources around me from a young age.”

That early exposure paid off. Hart developed his game enough to compete at a high level both in high school and collegiately. More importantly, it shaped the path he would eventually take off the course.

“I always knew I wanted to be a coach,” Hart said. “What got me into it was just diving right into it.”

That leap led him to Ottawa Hills, where he now serves as head coach of the boys golf program. The opportunity itself came unexpectedly.

“To be honest, they were the only school that was hiring at the time,” Hart said. “They sent a letter to different golf businesses. I was working at Maple Hill at the time, applied, interviewed, and thankfully was hired.”

What Hart walked into was far from a turnkey program. Ottawa Hills had little established in terms of golf, and the challenge was immediate. It’s similar to the situation that Grand Rapids Creston was in, a conference opponent for Lowell during Ben’s high school years.

“They hired me a week into the season with no real team established,” Hart said. “They had one senior the year before. It was my job to go out and find students that wanted to learn the game.”

That first year, Hart found just three golfers willing to give it a try. It marked the beginning of a long-term rebuild.

“The first team will always hold a special place in my heart,” he said.

Since then, the numbers have fluctuated. Three golfers in year one turned into four the next, then eight in year three, back down to three, and now up to nine this season. The inconsistency reflects the broader challenges of building a golf program in an inner-city environment.

“I have found not many students golf, or have had the access to the sport growing up,” Hart said. “The majority of the team had no prior golf experience aside from putt putt.”

That lack of exposure means starting from scratch each season. Fundamentals, etiquette, and course management are all new concepts for many of his players. But Hart sees the opportunity within that challenge.

Ben Hart talks with Coach Gary Fredline in an old yearbook photo from 2012.

“The flip side is that the students want to learn,” he said. “They want to get better. They see who we play against and have the belief that they can get to that level.”

Support from the school has also been key in the program’s development.

“Marcus Harris is the AD there and it’s been awesome working with him to start building a golf identity at Ottawa Hills,” Hart said. “They want to see us succeed. I couldn’t ask for a better support system.”

The team calls Indian Trails Golf Course home, where access to a strong practice facility has helped accelerate development for newer players.

“Being a pretty green team at the beginning of the year, it really helps the newer players pick the game up quickly,” Hart said. “It gets them on the fast track to becoming more competitive as the season progresses.”

For Hart, the results aren’t just measured in scores. They’re seen in growth, consistency, and belief.

“We have a ton of potential that we are just now tapping into,” he said. “I am very excited to see where the next few years lead us.”