In the fall of 1947, Auburn announced the creation of its men's golf program. Throughout the 2022-23 season, we are remembering and honoring the milestone moments and outstanding alumni that make up the illustrious 75-year history of the program.
A native of Pike Road, Alabama, Porter Smith spent three years on The Plains and now resides in Tampa, Florida with his wife and two sons and has been working in banking since graduating from Auburn.
Q: Why did you choose to continue your golf career on The Plains?
Smith: Going to Auburn was a family tradition. All of my family went to Auburn before me.
Q: What is your favorite memory from your time at Auburn?
Smith: I hated it at the time, but now I look back fondly at the early-morning workouts and late-night study halls.
Q: What degree did you earn from Auburn and what are you up to now?
Smith: I earned a business finance degree and have been in banking ever since graduation. I am currently in Tampa Bay as the market president for American Momentum Bank. I am married with two sons who love to play golf, along with every other sport it seems, and have a very blessed life in a beautiful place.
Q: What did you take away from your experiences on the team?
Smith: So much! I already knew how to work hard, but Auburn took it to another level. It taught me to persevere in the midst of adversity and to appreciate the small wins on the path to bigger ones. I learned about myself — my strengths and weaknesses as a person on and off the golf course. I learned what great golf really looked like too. I was fortunate to play with some of the very best. I learned that the best players just got it in the hole faster than the rest, they weren't necessarily the flashiest or most physically impressive, but they were incredibly smart players. Lastly, I learned that to play the game professionally, you had to love the game so much that the really bad days didn't bother you. I played with Jason Dufner, and the thing that stood out to me about Jason is that he never had a plan B. He was going to play golf, period. He loved the game not for what it could do for him, but for the simple joy of playing it well and trying to get better. If the farthest he ever got was being a club pro, I think he would have been perfectly content. Turns out he got a little farther than that!
Q: How would you describe your college experience in a single word?
Smith: Transformative.
Q: What advice would you give to current and future members of the Auburn golf team?
Smith: It's a lifelong game, but only if you love it for what it is. Don't play for anyone else's approval, only for the love of the game and trying to get better. Even now, I try to get a little better at something every time I practice or play. In competitive golf, you feel like you have to have success immediately, but with that, your sense of purpose and self-worth can feel the ebbs and flows based on your results. Fight that tendency and live for something bigger while still working your butt off to be the best golfer you can be.
Q: What would you consider your biggest accomplishment during your time at Auburn?
Smith: Meeting my wife, Susan.
Q: Do you still play golf? In what fashion?
Smith: Yes, I still play amateur golf. My home club is Pelican Golf Club in Belleair, Florida. I still enjoy competing and have won two club championships in a row at Pelican. We host an annual LPGA event at the club in November, and I'd love to have the team come play if they are in the area. It's a great little track. I also have two sons that play, ages 10 and 13 right now, and I can honestly say that I enjoy the game more now than I ever have.
Q: Is there anything else you'd like to add regarding your time with Auburn golf?
Smith: Playing golf at Auburn was the biggest goal I ever set for myself. While I didn't accomplish much as a player while I was there, that matters zero to me now. I can still attribute so much of my success in life to achieving that goal and the lessons I learned before, during, and after my time there. Auburn University was really where it all started for me.