In the fall of 2021, Ben Corbid routinely woke up in the early morning hours and got on his bike in Del Monte Forest, California.
On his way to work, he’d pass renowned golf courses like Cypress Point, Poppy Hills and Spanish Bay. He’d then pull up to Pebble Beach, his internship home for six months.
Corbid didn’t have a car when he was in California, but he had a bike. He’d park his two-wheeler and make his way to the first tee box, where he’d routinely send off players like Barack Obama and Steve Kerr. He’d chop it up with pros like Sergio Garcia during charity events, then watch Jack Nicklaus play the 18th hole.
“It was something else,” Corbid said. “One minute you’re talking to Joe from Iowa, and the next you’re talking to somebody you see on TV. It was a lesson in how to talk to people and how to treat people. Even some of the biggest people you meet out there, they just want to chat like they’re a normal person, too.”
Corbid’s six months at Pebble Beach funneled into a long line of experiences that set him up for his life in golf after college. On Aug. 1, he was named the Bemidji State men’s golf head coach.
Graduating in 2023 as a fifth-year senior, Corbid was part of the Beavers’ most recent NSIC championship team. Shortly after the season ended, he was hired as BSU’s assistant coach.
For two years, Corbid worked with now-former head coach Ekren Miller, who stepped down after 15 seasons in July. He also became the head pro at Headwaters Golf Course in Park Rapids.
Now, Corbid feels prepared to take the next step.
“This game is something I’m truly passionate about,” Corbid said. “I’ve basically dedicated my life to golf. It’s a great opportunity to step up the game and compete at a high level like this. … I like to say I bleed green and white, so it’s a great opportunity to do so at Bemidji State. I like the people; they’re the reason why I stuck around after my fifth year. It’s a good fit for me.”
Life on a ‘big-money’ course
During the canceled men’s golf season in 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Corbid found himself watching more golf than he played.
“I was sitting at home watching the Golf Channel all the time,” Corbid said. “I thought it would be cool to work at one of these big courses. I got on my computer and found all of these PGM internships. It’s designed for people going through the PGA program, which I’m in now, to get all kinds of experience.”
Corbid’s application stuck out with Pebble Beach management. He spent the fall semester in 2021 away from the Beavers, garnering the experiences that come with working at a bucket-list golf destination.
“It had a different feel around the course,” Corbid said. “At Pebble, there’s a buzz. There’s history behind it. Seeing all of these people stepping on the first tee box wide-eyed and excited to be there, it gave me a lot of love for the game in general.”
Corbid’s six months in California also gave him a new lens on the game he dedicated his life to playing.
“It can be easy to think about how you did and your scores,” he continued, “but when you see people from all over the world come to Pebble Beach and just be amazed by the history, the architecture and the scenery, it changes your perspective.”
BSU photo
The Stillwater native was born and raised in the Twin Cities area. He spent his college years in Bemidji. For Corbid, his Pebble Beach internship was about learning the operations on prestigious grounds, especially outside of the Midwest.
“I got to see how a big-money course operates,” Corbid said. “They do as many things as possible to give each person the best experience possible. Customer experience is huge there, because they paid a lot to be there. For most, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
While in California, Corbid would check in on his BSU teammates as they perused their way through the fall portion of the 2021-22 season. He sent a box of Pebble Beach golf apparel back home to his roommates, only to join them a few months later for the spring semester.
When he returned, Corbid joined the chase for NSIC gold. The Beavers finished on the outside looking in on the NCAA Regional in 2022, finishing in fourth place in the conference tournament. A year earlier, the Beavers were the NSIC runner-up to cap off a shortened season.
During Corbid’s fifth and final season, the tide turned in Bemidji State’s favor. At the three-round conference championship at Adams Pointe Golf Club in Blue Springs, Missouri, Corbid shot a six-over 222. The Beavers needed every executed shot they could get, finishing one stroke better as a team than second-place Winona State.
BSU Athletics photo
“It was a dream come true,” Corbid said. “It’s very rare to have you’re last (conference tournament) be a win. It was special to end a golf career with a bang like that. I was there for five years with the COVID year and stuff. It was a long time coming. We got so close so many times. It felt good not to be on the other end of that one.”
After playing in the regional, he searched for his first job out of college. With the help of teammate Tate Usher, along with his dad, Tadd Usher, Corbid found a new home less than an hour from Bemidji at Headwaters Golf Club.
“One of my good friends and former teammates, Tate Usher, his dad is the (general manager) here,” Corbid said. “When I was coming out of college, I was looking for a job and didn’t want to go back to the Twin Cities. He took a chance on me and it’s worked out.”
Despite Corbid’s Metro-area roots and his exposure to West Coast golf, life in northern Minnesota suits him.
“My dad is from the Park Rapids area, and I did a little vacationing up here when I was younger,” Corbid said. “I just like the pace of it. People are friendly, the traffic is much better. I’m an outdoorsman and I enjoy being outside, smelling the trees. There’s a lot to love.”
The biggest adjustment for Corbid in shifting from a collegiate player to a coach was foregoing control. It’s a process he’s had to learn to become comfortable with over the last two years.
“It’s weird at first because you want to be behind the ball and have that control,” Corbid said. “What you learn really fast is that all you can do is set them up for success. You can’t control the results, but you can give them the tools they need to control their own game. You can’t swing the club for them, but you can give them the encouragement that gives them the confidence to perform.”
Miller’s tenured presence made the transition to coaching easier on Corbid. He learned what it takes to recruit and how to stay organized.
Like many jobs, a promotion comes with more responsibility.
“I’m slowly learning what it really takes now that I need to get some players for 2026,” Corbid said. “It’s a lot of back and forth and a lot of communication, so you can find the right fit.
“What I’m learning now is there’s a lot of moving pieces in terms of tournaments and scheduling in general. (Miller) was so good at staying ahead of the game, even though he won’t admit that. He taught me how to stay one step ahead. Instead of being reactionary, be prepared.”
Madelyn Haasken / Bemidji Pioneer
One advantage Corbid has is familiarity, not just in the program but with the players themselves. Still in his mid-20s, he’s one of the youngest NSIC coaches regardless of sport.
“I really can relate to the players,” Corbid said. “I have a lot of experience in modern college golf. It’s a game that’s changed a lot, even in the last 8-10 years. I’ve seen it develop and I have an idea of where it’s going. I’m hungry; I’m going to find what works and what doesn’t. We’re going to try things, and we’re going to find ways to keep being successful at Bemidji State.”
Corbid will coach two of his former teammates – Logan Schoepp and Caden Lick. Both were on the 2023 NSIC title-winning team, and Schoepp is coming off a
wire-to-wire NSIC individual conference triumph
in June.
“They’re excited to get on board and get to work for their last season,” Corbid said. “It’s not easy to switch coaches. With a new coach comes a new culture. With them being the mainstay of Bemidji State culture, it’s huge to keep them around and have them for one more year.”
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