Eddie Merrins died on November 22. He was known affectionately as “The Little Pro”, and was one of the most decorated and accomplished PGA professionals. CBS Sports’s Jim Nantz confirmed the death of Eddie Merrins, a close friend for many years, on Wednesday in Los Angeles, after a lengthy illness.
Nantz stated that “the famed ‘Li’l Pro’ played a major role in the game.”
Merrins spent his entire professional career teaching golf as the head professional of Bel-Air Country Club, Los Angeles. He retired in 2007. He coached the UCLA golf team in his free time to win the 1988 NCAA championship. Corey Pavin was one of 16 All-Americans Merrins coached during his 14-year career. Others were Steve Pate and Tom Pernice Jr. Eight of Merrins’ former players, the most ever, represented the school at one point on the PGA Tour. Merrins founded the non-profit “Friends of Collegiate Golf”, now called “Friends of Golf,” in 1979 to support junior golfers in Southern California. It has raised over $10 million to support the game.
Merrins began his golfing career at Merion Golf Club. He then moved to New York, where he became a PGA member. He spent a year working as a teaching pro at Westchester Country Club. Then he worked for two years as head professional at Rockaway Hunting Club in Long Island.
Eddie Merrins, a legendary UCLA coach and teacher professional who died at age 91, was a legend.
Merrins’ impact as an instructor touched generations of golfers. His impact as an instructor touched generations of golfers.https://t.co/v6zUeR498g pic.twitter.com/tRR8s8YF57
UCLA Men’s Golf 23 November 2023
During his tenure at the Metropolitan PGA Championship, he also won the 1961 Long Island Open. Merrins was a great collegiate golfer for LSU. He won the SEC title in 1953 and 1954 and finished as the NCAA runner up in 1952.
He competed as a professional in more than 200 PGA Tour tournaments. This included eight USGA Open Championships. In 1954, he was one victory short of winning the U.S. The Amateur qualifies for an invitation to the Masters.
In those days, only the finalists received this distinction. Merrins was defeated by Bob Sweeney who had reached the finals before a youngster named Arnold Palmer beat him on the 36th.
Eddie Merrins, representing Friends of Golf. Two-time @BenHoganAward Finalist @MavMcNealy. pic.twitter.com/k5NfcgJPUf
Adam Schupak May 24th, 2016 HTML0
Merrins told Golfweek once that his golf career was beautiful because he had crossed so many generations. He played with Ben Hogan and Sam Snead and at 17, he was in an exhibition alongside Byron Nelson. Bobby Jones sent Merrins a note after he lost the 1951 Southern Amateur championship final. He congratulated him for his excellent play.
Merrins stated, “I lost to Arnold Bloom from Macon, Ga. If I had won, I would have been the youngest ever winner since Jones. I can’t express how much it meant to be recognized by him as a youngster on the cusp of something special.
Merrins became the Bel-Air Country Club’s head professional in 1962. He remained there until 2003, and was one of the best teachers of golf during that time. Merrins was honored in 2015 with the dedication of the famous swinging bridge at Bel-Air’s hole 10. Merrins wrote a popular book entitled “Swing the Handle not the Clubhead” and was inducted in the PGA Hall of Fame, in 2009.
Eddie Merrins, The Little Pro of Bel Air CC has passed away. He taught everyone from Jimmy Stewart and Corey Pavin. He competed with everyone from Snead and Nicklaus. And he was friends with Coach John Wooden and Dean Martin. He lived a full life. pic.twitter.com/pU1Ddnc9P3
— Rick Reilly (@ReillyRick) November 23, 2023
Merrins coached UCLA’s men’s golf from 1975 to 1989. He coached two NCAA Player of the Year in Corey Pavin, and Duffy Waldorf. Merrins led the team to No. Merrins led the team to a No.
His 1981-82 squad included Corey Pavin who was the college player of the year; Jay Delsing who was a first-team All-American, Jeff Johnson who placed 10th and went on to become a club professional at Ojai Valley Inn & Spa in California; and Louis Bartoletti who had a successful golf career.
How good was the team? “Our starting five was so deep for the NCAAs that year, that we left Steve Pate at home.”
Eddie Merrins, left, with Arnold Palmer.
The 1988 team won the championship.
“We had no expectations. Brandt Jobe, our star player, was eighth out of 10 teams in the conference tournament. Merrins said to Golfweek that “we shouldn’t be in the National Championships” by all rights. “We were thirteen strokes behind Florida on the final day but we managed to get it going.” “The golf gods were kind to us in that year.”
The game was also memorable for another factor. This was the first West Coast team to win the title for 35 years since Stanford in 1952.
Merrins was a Mississippi native born in Meridian on August 4, 1932. He was awarded three state amateur titles between 1950 and 1955 and inducted into Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame 2000.
Merrins’ wife Valerie and two sons Mason and Michael as well as daughter Randy survive him.
