Mike Holder
Encyclopedia
Mike Holder is the current athletic director for Oklahoma State University, succeeding Harry Birdwell on September 16, 2005. His previous position was head coach of the men's golf
program, where he served for 32 years.
Holder was born in Odessa, Texas
. He obtained a bachelor's degree in marketing
from Oklahoma State while also playing under Labron Harris
on the men's golf team. As a player, he won the individual Big Eight
championship in 1970 while leading his team to the team championship, and earned third-team All-American honors. After completing his MBA at OSU in 1973, he took over for his former coach and enjoyed tremendous success there. His teams have won 25 conference championships and eight national championships.
Holder also was the main force behind the construction of the Karsten Creek
Golf Course, designed by Tom Fazio
, which was completed in 1994. It now serves as the home of the Oklahoma State men's and women's golf teams, and hosted the 2003 NCAA championship. His main focus as athletic director now is the construction of an "Athletic Village" that will house most of the athletic facilities in one area of campus.
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
program, where he served for 32 years.
Holder was born in Odessa, Texas
Odessa, Texas
Odessa is a city in and the county seat of Ector County, Texas, United States. It is located primarily in Ector County, although a small portion of the city extends into Midland County. Odessa's population was 99,940 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Odessa, Texas Metropolitan...
. He obtained a bachelor's degree in marketing
Marketing
Marketing is the process used to determine what products or services may be of interest to customers, and the strategy to use in sales, communications and business development. It generates the strategy that underlies sales techniques, business communication, and business developments...
from Oklahoma State while also playing under Labron Harris
Labron Harris
Labron E. Harris was an American professional golfer and golf coach at Oklahoma State University from 1947 to 1973. He coached Oklahoma State to 24 Missouri Valley and Big 8 Conference championships and the 1963 NCAA Division I Golf Championship...
on the men's golf team. As a player, he won the individual Big Eight
Big Eight Conference
The Big Eight Conference, a former NCAA-affiliated Division I-A college athletic association that sponsored football, was formed in January 1907 as the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association by its charter member schools: the University of Kansas, University of Missouri, University...
championship in 1970 while leading his team to the team championship, and earned third-team All-American honors. After completing his MBA at OSU in 1973, he took over for his former coach and enjoyed tremendous success there. His teams have won 25 conference championships and eight national championships.
Holder also was the main force behind the construction of the Karsten Creek
Karsten Creek
Karsten Creek Golf Club is located west on Highway 51, just outside of Stillwater, Oklahoma. It replaced Lakeside Golf Course as the home course of the Oklahoma State University Men's and Women's golf teams 1994...
Golf Course, designed by Tom Fazio
Tom Fazio
Thomas Fazio, ASGCA is a golf course architect.Fazio graduated in 1962 from Lansdale Catholic High School and was inducted into its "Hall of Fame" in 2007. He began his career in golf course design with his family's firm in suburban Philadelphia, which he left in the 1960s; he established his own...
, which was completed in 1994. It now serves as the home of the Oklahoma State men's and women's golf teams, and hosted the 2003 NCAA championship. His main focus as athletic director now is the construction of an "Athletic Village" that will house most of the athletic facilities in one area of campus.