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A new era of men’s golf began in earnest last season at Clayton State with the addition of Barry Harwell as the Lakers’ new men’s head golf coach. In turn, the fortunes of Laker men's golf began to ascend under Harwell's leadership.

Inheriting a program that experienced some hard times over the last five seasons, Clayton State made its move under Harwell, a native of Carrollton, Ga., in the 2006-07 season. The Lakers recorded their first tournament championship in seven seasons and garnered eight Top 10 finishes in their 10 tournaments combined in the fall and spring. Clayton State also garnered a seventh-place finish at the Peach Belt Conference Tournament.

In addition, Harwell produced the first All-Region selection for Clayton State since 2000 and the first All-American since 1999 in the form of sophomore Will Wilcox, who finished second place at the Peach Belt Conference Tournament and qualified for the NCAA Division II Southeast Regionals.

A former professional player on the PGA Tour and collegiate standout at the University of Alabama, Harwell is the third head coach in the brief history of men’s golf at Clayton State, and he has an extensive playing background as both an amateur and professional.

He was a prep standout at Carrollton High School, winning the individual district championship and finishing fourth in the Class A state tournament as a senior in 1975. Harwell also played football for Georgia high school coaching legend Charlie Grisham, and was eventually inducted into the Carrollton Trojan Athletic Hall of Fame.

During his career at Alabama under head coach Conrad Rehling, Harwell was the co-captain and second team All-Southeastern Conference selection as a senior in 1979. That same season, he helped pace the Crimson Tide to its only SEC championship in program history. Individually, he placed third at the SEC championships with a three-round score of 215 for the top Crimson Tide scorer for the event. That season, Alabama also won the St. Andrews Intercollegiate Invitational played at the Historic Old Course at St. Andrews, Scotland.

Overall, Harwell lettered all four seasons at Alabama, and helped lead the Crimson Tide to two SEC runner-up finishes in addition to its championship in 1979. In addition, his 65 at the 1977 Sunset Hills Tournament in Carrollton is the third-lowest single-round score in Alabama men’s golf history.

In the professional ranks, Harwell played three seasons (1980-1982) on the PGA Tour. Some of his most notable moments on the tour included a top 15 finish at the 1981 Atlanta Classic (which was won by PGA legend Tom Watson), and a runner-up finish at the 1980 Walt Disney Team Championship with partner Mike Harmon. They finished second to David and Danny Edwards. In addition, Harwell won the 1982 Georgia Open in a field that included former PGA greats Tim Simpson and 1974 Masters champion Tommy Aaron.

He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and Finance from Alabama in 1979.